Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List
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Diagnosis of Amoebiasis
Mild amoebiasis can often go undiagnosed, as it is passed off as a stomach upset or bout of diarrhoea. If your doctor or GP suspects amoebiasis, they may ask you to provide several stool samples, over a period of a few days. This is then viewed under a microscope to look for the entamoeba histolytica parasite.
It is possible to misdiagnose amoebiasis, as the entamoeba histolytica parasite looks very similar to a minor parasite called entamoeba dispar. This is a common infection that does not require treatment. However, sometimes your doctor may presume that the histolytica parasite is present and give you treatment to be on the safe side.
If your doctor thinks that the infection may have spread beyond the wall of your intestine, you may need a blood test to confirm the diagnosis. However, blood tests are not common practice, as they may show a positive result if you have had the infection in the past.
Your doctor may also decide to perform an endoscopy. During this procedure, a flexible instrument with its own light, called an endoscope, is passed in through the anus. Your doctor is then able to see the walls of your large intestine more clearly on a screen.
