First report of invasive amebiasis in an organ transplant recipient.
T-cell mediated immunity is an important defense mechanism against amebiasis. However, organ transplant recipients with severe T-cell immunosuppression are not at increased risk of having Entamoeba histolytica invasive disease. The reasons are unclear and probably multifactorial, but it is likely that the absence of intestinal colonization with pathogenic strains in countries where transplants occur and the judicious intake of possible contaminated food and water are important contributing factors. We describe the first report of a liver transplant recipient with severe E. histolytica colitis who was successfully treated with metronidazole without modifying his immunosuppression therapy.
Palau
L A
LA
Department of Internal Medicine, Ochsner Clinic and Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, New Orleans, Louisiana 70121, USA.
Kemmerly
S A
SA
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003106:Colon / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D003113:Colonoscopy; D004404:Dysentery, Amebic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008795:Metronidazole