What is Amebiasis?

Amoebiasis is caused by amoeba protolytica. There are two forms of trophozoites and cysts in the human body. The cysts are contagious. After being eaten by mistake, the trophozoites burst out and grow in the intestinal cavity. Intramural reproduction causes intestinal wall ulcers and causes amoebic dysentery. When the internal environment is suitable, the amoeba trophozoites circulate to the liver, lung, and brain tissues with the blood, causing amoeba liver abscesses, lung abscesses, and brain abscesses.

Basic Information

Visiting department

Thoracic Surgery

Common locations

Liver, lungs and pleura

Common causes

After the amoeba lysosomal tissue is ingested by mistake, the trophozoites burst out and grow in the intestinal cavity and multiply in the intestinal wall, causing intestinal wall ulcers

Common symptoms

Chest pain, may have shoulder and back radiation pain, dry cough with occasional sticky or purulent sputum, high fever, night sweats, loss of appetite, etc.

Causes of chest amoebiasis

Most liver amoebic abscesses are located at the top of the liver. They invade or penetrate the diaphragm to form a lung abscess in the lower or middle lobe of the right lung. Some are similar to hepatic parietal cysts that break into the diaphragm and form a hepatic-bronchial fistula. Empty self-healing; or the formation of amoebic abscess; pleural effusion may also occur in those who have not penetrated the diaphragm, and very few pulmonary abscesses occur through the blood route. The amoebic abscess of the left lobe of the liver may also be accompanied by left chest or pericardial amoebiasis .

Clinical manifestations of chest amoebiasis

Clinical manifestations are chest pain, may have shoulder and back radiation pain, dry cough occasionally with a small amount of sticky or purulent sputum. When a lung abscess occurs, the sputum is typically chocolate-colored and has symptoms of systemic poisoning such as high fever, night sweats, and loss of appetite. After the amoebic liver abscess breaks into the lungs and bronchi, a large amount of chocolate-colored pus and sputum can be suddenly coughed, accompanied by severe chest pain and dyspnea, and occasionally pleural shock, which eventually forms a hepatic pleural cavity fistula. It can also penetrate the skin to form liver and palate skin fistulas, and drain out sticky chocolate-colored pus, which will last forever. On physical examination, consolidation of the right lung, weakening of breathing sounds, wet rales, or pleural effusion can be seen. Hepatic abscesses may be hepatomegaly and tender, and 50% of them have clubbing fingers.

Chest amoebiasis check

X-ray examination showed the shadow of lung abscess in the right lower lobe, and the surrounding cloud-shaped infiltrates, mostly in the anterior segment. When communicating with the bronchi, fluid levels and irregular abscess walls are visible. The right diaphragmatic pleura responded significantly and had limited mobility. Blood-borne pulmonary amoebiasis shows bronchial inflammation such as increased lung texture.

Diagnosis of chest amoebiasis

A diagnosis can be made based on medical history, clinical manifestations, and X-ray examination.

Chest Amoebiasis Treatment

Most of this disease should be treated with anti-amoeba drugs. Metronidazole is the drug of choice for the treatment of amoebiasis. Secondary purulent amoebic empyema can be punctured and drained, and metronidazole repeatedly flushes the chest cavity; pulmonary abscess liver-bronchial fistula, liver-pleural bronchial fistula, chronic lung abscess that has caused permanent damage to lung tissue, and post-pyrethoracic lung atrophy Patients can surgically remove the diseased lung segment.