Kroft E B M, Warris A, Jansen L E, van Crevel R
Universitair Medisch Centrum St Radboud, Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen.
Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2005 Feb 5;149(6):308-11.
A 66-year-old Dutchman, living in Mali, presented with an extensive progressive perianal ulcer despite local and antibiotic treatment. Microscopic examination of the stool revealed Entamoeba histolytica/dispar cysts and phagocytosing trophozoites were seen in fresh scrapings of the ulcer, a diagnostic feature of infection with E. histolytica. The diagnosis was cutaneous amoebiasis and the patient was effectively treated with metronidazole and local debridements. Primary cutaneous amoebiasis is a rare disease. Diagnosis and treatment are relatively simple but lack of familiarity with the disease may lead to misdiagnosis or diagnosis at a late stage ofthe infection.