Open AccessFIRST REPORT OF INVASIVE AMEBIASIS IN AN ORGAN TRANSPLANT RECIPIENT
Author(s) -
Leonardo A. Palau,
Sandra A. Kemmerly
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.45
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1534-6080
pISSN - 0041-1337
DOI - 10.1097/00007890-199709270-00028
Subject(s) - immunosuppression , entamoeba histolytica , metronidazole , immunology , medicine , organ transplantation , immunity , disease , amoebiasis , immune system , transplantation , biology , antibiotics , microbiology and biotechnology
T-cell mediated immunity is an important defense mechanism against amebiasis. However, organ transplant recipients with severe T-cell immunosuppression are not at increased risk of having Entamoeba histolytica invasive disease. The reasons are unclear and probably multifactorial, but it is likely that the absence of intestinal colonization with pathogenic strains in countries where transplants occur and the judicious intake of possible contaminated food and water are important contributing factors. We describe the first report of a liver transplant recipient with severe E. histolytica colitis who was successfully treated with metronidazole without modifying his immunosuppression therapy.