ABSTRACT
In this study, Entamoeba histolytica had high prevalence and unusual presentation by affecting high proportion of infants under 1 year; severe clinical manifestations, and laboratory findings that were known to be usually encountered in invasive amebiasis as significant leukocytosis for age, neutrophilic leukocytosis for age, and positive C-reactive protein were found among more than 50% of admitted Saudi infants and children with E. histolytica infection in our locality. E. histolytica can be a re-emerging serious infection when it finds favorable environmental conditions and host factors which are mainly attributed to inadequate breastfeeding in this study. This may occur in any other area of the world with the same risk factors, so we must be ready to tackle it with effective and more powerful preventive measures.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/parasitology , Diarrhea/parasitology , Entamoeba histolytica/isolation & purification , Entamoebiasis/epidemiology , Gastroenteritis/parasitology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/diagnosis , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/epidemiology , Diarrhea/diagnosis , Diarrhea/epidemiology , Entamoebiasis/diagnosis , Feces/parasitology , Gastroenteritis/diagnosis , Gastroenteritis/epidemiology , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Saudi Arabia/epidemiologyABSTRACT
In this study, Entamoeba histolytica had high prevalence and unusual presentation by affecting high proportion of infants under 1 year; severe clinical manifestations, and laboratory findings that were known to be usually encountered in invasive amebiasis as significant leukocytosis for age, neutrophilic leukocytosis for age, and positive C-reactive protein were found among more than 50% of admitted Saudi infants and children with E. histolytica infection in our locality. E. histolytica can be a re-emerging serious infection when it finds favorable environmental conditions and host factors which are mainly attributed to inadequate breastfeeding in this study. This may occur in any other area of the world with the same risk factors, so we must be ready to tackle it with effective and more powerful preventive measures.