Amoebic colitis with liver abscess

Amoebiasis is a parasitic infection caused by the intestinal protozoan Entamoeba histolytica, most prevalent in developing countries. It results in 40,000 to 100,000 deaths each year from amoebic colitis and extra intestinal infections. Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is the most common extra intestinal site of infection with an incidence of between 3% and 9% of all cases of amoebiasis. Ultrasound which has a sensitivity of more than 90% for detecting ALA is highly recommended as an initial investigation followed by serological demonstration of circulating antibodies specific to Entamoeba histolytica