Entamoeba histolytica
November/December 2007 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 20 Number 6
The Premier Waterborne Illness
Or
The Master of Diarrhea –
Entamoeba histolytica
Infectious diarrhea caused by Entamoeba histolytica is the third leading parasitic cause of death worldwide, surpassed only by malaria (#1) and schistosomiasis (#2). Diarrheal illnesses caused by ameba are referred to as amebic dysentery.
Frequency:
About 4% of the US population and 10% worldwide have Entamoeba histolytica.
There are approximately 50 million new cases per year, with 100,000 deaths annually worldwide.
