Q. What is the etiological agent of amebiasis? How it transmitted and what are the typical manifestations of the disease?
The Amebiasis is caused by the protozoan Entamoeba histolytica, or simply amoeba. The transmission of the disease is oral-fecal by contaminated food and water or by insects like cockroaches and flies. The amoeba parasites an intestine of humans in general in an asymptomatic manner but it can sometimes cause enteritis with diarrhea and abdominal pain, severe dysentery, weight loss and anemia. In rare cases extra-intestinal invasion may take place affecting the liver, skin, genital organs and other organs.