A CASE OF AMEBIC COLITIS THAT RAPIDLY PROGRESSED WITHIN A SHORT TIME

Abstract

A 60-year-old man had been admitted to the another hospital because of abdominal pain and diarrhea for a week before the current admission. Colonoscopy at 1 month progressively showed 2 small ulcers in the ascending colon. His symptoms had not been relieved by the administration of antibiotics. A tender mass was palpated in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. Blood test showed increased c-reaction protein and white blood cell count. Colonoscopy revealed the edematous mucosa and the skipped large ulcers with pseudomembrane in the cecum, ascending colon, hepatic flexure, and splenic flexure. Histologic examination of the biopsy specimens showed numerous trophozoites of ameba, and we diagnosed amebic colitis. We administered oral metronidazol (1500mg daily) for 14 days. His symptoms immediately disappeared following this treatment. Of value in this case was that we could endoscopically follow the course of amebic colitis that was rapidly exacerbated in a short time.