title: Undiagnosed amebic brain abscess.
abstract: We report a case of amebic brain abscess due to Entamoeba histolytica. The patient was a 31-year-old man who presented with amebic liver abscess. His clinical course deteriorated in spite of proper drainage and treatment. He developed delirium, lethargy and then expired. With a history of heroin addiction, withdrawal syndrome from heroin was suspected. At autopsy, amebic abscesses were detected in the liver, large intestine, meninges and brain. A 19 cm amebic liver abscess was found in the right lobe of the liver. A 4 cm amebic brain abscess was found in the right occipital lobe. Microscopically, the tissue sections from the affected organs were confirmed to have degenerated E. histolytica trophozoites. Involvement of the brain in amebic liver abscess should be suspected in patients with neurological signs and symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. tmpvr@mahidol.ac.th
authors.forename: Parnpen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viriyavejakul
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riganti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000469:parasitology*; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male