Cutaneous amebiasis: 50 years of experience. 2012

Jorge Fernández-Díez, and Mario Magaña, and Mario L Magaña
Department of Pathology, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, México.

Although cutaneous amebiasis (CA) is a rare disease, it is a public health concern worldwide, particularly in developing nations. It gains importance because of its severe clinical course, which can be confused with other disorders. Therefore, knowledge of its clinical features, histopathology, and pathogenesis is essential. We present a retrospective analysis over 50 years of 26 patients with CA who were diagnosed and treated at 2 Mexican institutions. Our main focus was to draw clinical information to identify mechanisms by which amebae reach the skin, occurring in a relatively small percentage of infected individuals. The recorded data included age and sex of the patients, form of presentation, any associated illnesses and/or factors, and methods for diagnosis. Histologic slides were reviewed in all cases; cytologic preparations also were available for 6 cases. Most patients were male (overall male to female ratio, 1.9 to 1). The disease always presented as painful ulcers containing varying amounts of amebae microscopically; the amebae were fairly easy to identify with routine stains, particularly when examination of tissue or smears was prepared from the edges of the ulcer instead of the necrotic centers. Erythrophagocytosis by the trophozoites was found and represented an unequivocal sign of its pathogenicity. We review the 2 mechanisms by which the organisms reach the skin. Most cases resolve with the use of specific antiamebic drugs; however, if left untreated, progression is rapid and unrelenting, sometimes with massive destruction of skin and subcutaneous tissues. Therefore, CA is a particularly virulent form of amebiasis.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D004748 Entamoeba histolytica A species of parasitic protozoa causing ENTAMOEBIASIS and amebic dysentery (DYSENTERY, AMEBIC). Characteristics include a single nucleus containing a small central karyosome and peripheral chromatin that is finely and regularly beaded. Endamoeba histolytica,histolytica, Endamoeba
D004749 Entamoebiasis Infection with amoebae of the genus ENTAMOEBA. Infection with E. histolytica causes DYSENTERY, AMEBIC and LIVER ABSCESS, AMEBIC. Entamoeba Infections,Entamoeba histolytica Infection,Entamoeba Infection,Entamoeba histolytica Infections,Entamoebiases,Infection, Entamoeba,Infection, Entamoeba histolytica,Infections, Entamoeba,Infections, Entamoeba histolytica
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective
D012876 Skin Diseases, Parasitic Skin diseases caused by ARTHROPODS; HELMINTHS; or other parasites. Parasitic Skin Diseases,Disease, Parasitic Skin,Diseases, Parasitic Skin,Parasitic Skin Disease,Skin Disease, Parasitic

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