Contaminated Food and Amoebiasis

Amoebiasis is an infection by E. Histolytica. It is an unicellular protozoa. Amoebiasis is a world wide problem, but more serious in less developed counties. It has the potential to infect wide range of organs of body. It is transmitted through faeco-oral route, commonly through contaminated food and drinks. Vegetable crops irrigated by water contaminated with sewerage is a potent way of transmission.
It causes;

• Amoebic dysentery
• Non-dysenteric colitis
• amoebic appendicitis
• Amoebic liver abscess and hepatitis
• Splenic abscess
• Amoebiasis of skin
• Amoeboma of colon
• Encephalitis, sometimes.

The symptoms vary according to the site of infection. Important among these are amoeboma, liver involvement and encephalitis. Amoeboma confuses with cancer of colon. Liver and brain involvement in form of abscess formation and encephalitis respectively are life threatening.

Cysts of E.Histolytica

A stool examination is by far the most common mode of diagnosing amoebiasis. The disease sometimes becomes very difficult to treat, and often prolongs to a chronic stage. Preventive measures are good. Thorough washing of raw eaten fruits and vegetables washes away the cysts. Washing fruits and raw eaten vegetables with diluted iodine, diluted acetic acid or full strength vinegar will destroy the cysts. Boiling drinking water destroys the cysts.