The clinical significance of the carrier state in amoebiasis

Conclusions

Twenty-two carriers of E. histolytica, who had abdominal symptoms and who had no organic condition, other than amoebiasis, which might have produced those symptoms, were given a therapeutic test.

• (1) While 19 of the carriers were improved for a short time on the rest, suggestion, and “tonic effect” of therapy, only 6 (27 per cent) patients were freed from abdominal symptoms by the treatment when they were studied three months or longer after its completion. Amoebiasis should be looked for in all patients with gastro-intestinal complaints, but too striking clinical improvement should not be expected from the amoebicidal treatment of carriers. This statement is in contradiction to the usual teaching.

• (2) All of the patients who were relieved of their abdominal complaints by treatment had complained in such, a manner that their abdominal syndromes could be described clinically as those of “the unstable colon.”

• (3) Many of the patients, who were not relieved for a relatively long period by amoebicidal therapy, responded for a time to sedatives, bowel management, and antispasmodics.

All carriers of E. histolytica should be rid of their parasites for public health reasons and to avoid the possibility of later complications in the carriers themselves.