Atypical fulminant presentation of amebiasis in chronic kidney disease patient on maintenance hemodialysis

Abstract

Amebiasis is a common cause of dysentery in India and can have an atypical fulminant course with negative serological tests in immunosuppressed individuals such as chronic kidney disease (CKD). We present a patient of CKD on dialysis who presented with features of dysentery with negative blood and serology workup. The diagnosis of amebic colitis was made after colonoscopy and histopathology which revealed amebic trophozoites and her symptoms abated after appropriate therapy. This case report illustrates the need for colonoscopy and histopathology for definite diagnosis of fulminant presentation of amebic colitis in an immunosuppressed individual such as CKD.

Keywords

• Amebiasis
• atypical fulminant colitis
• chronic kidney disease