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Studies of human amebiasis

III. Ameboma: A radiologic manifestation of amebic colitis

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Abstract

Four patients with well-documented amebic colitis had colonic deformities suggestive of ameboma. When barium enema examinations were performed, each of the 4 had cecal “coning,” and 1 had an additional sigmoid lesion. Only 1 patient with a cecal lesion had a palpable, tender mass in the right lower quadrant. After treatment with metronidazole (multiple courses in 1 case), there was clinical and parasitologic cure in each case and radiologic improvement in the 3 who were available for followup. Since ameboma may be confused with carcinoma, a search for amebae in stool and an indirect hemagglutination test for amebiasis may prevent unnecessary and potentially disastrous surgery.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gastroenterology Division, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, 80 Barre Street, 29401, Charleston, South Carolina

    Fred E. Pittman MD, PhD, Joan C. Pittman MA & Weleed K. El-Hashimi PhD

  2. Medical Service, Veterans Administration Hospital, Charleston, South Carolina

    Fred E. Pittman MD, PhD, Joan C. Pittman MA & Weleed K. El-Hashimi PhD

  3. Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

    Fred E. Pittman MD, PhD, Joan C. Pittman MA & Weleed K. El-Hashimi PhD

Authors
  1. Fred E. Pittman MD, PhD
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  2. Joan C. Pittman MA
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  3. Weleed K. El-Hashimi PhD
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Additional information

This work was supported by grants from The John A. Hartford Foundation, Inc, New York, New York; the National Institutes of Health General Research Support Grant RR05420 to the Medical University of South Carolina; the South Carolina State Appropriations for Research; and the Veterans Administration

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Pittman, F.E., Pittman, J.C. & El-Hashimi, W.K. Studies of human amebiasis. Digest Dis Sci 18, 1025–1031 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01076516

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01076516

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