Hepatic amebiasis; Extraintestinal amebiasis; Abscess - amebic liver

There may or may not be symptoms of intestinal infection. Symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain
  • Particularly in the right, upper part of the abdomen
  • Intense, continuous, or stabbing pain
• Chills
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
• Jaundice
• Joint pain
• Loss of appetite
• Sweating
• Weight loss

Tests that may be done include:

• Abdominal ultrasound
• Abdominal CT scan or MRI
• Complete blood count
• Liver biopsy - rarely done due to high risk of complications
• Liver scan
• Liver function tests
• Serology for amebiasis
• Stool testing for amebiasis

Images

Liver cell death

Previous Section

Amebic liver abscess Overview

Next Section

Amebic liver abscess Treatment

Review Date: 05/30/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)