Learn about Amebic dysentery symptoms from Consumer Reports Health.

Amebic dysentery

What are the symptoms of amebic dysentery?

The main symptom of amebic dysentery is diarrhea. This mean you get loose stools and you need to go the bathroom more often than usual.

You may also have:

Source:
Horga MA, Naparts TR, Dhawan VK, et al.
Amebiasis.
Available at http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic80.htm (accessed on 28 November 2008).

Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Amebiasis fact sheet.
Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/amebiasis (accessed on 28 November 2008).

Source:
Stanley SL.
Amoebiasis.
Lancet. 2003; 361: 1025-1034.

diarrhea
Diarrhea is when you have loose, watery stools and you need to go to the bathroom far more often than usual. Doctors say you have diarrhea if you need to go to the bathroom more than three times a day.

Diarrhea with blood or mucus in it
Bleeding from your anal opening (

rectum
The rectum is the last six to eight inches of the large intestine, ending with the anus (where you empty your bowels).

rectum)
Pain in your abdomen
Pain when going to the bathroom
Fever.

You may not feel like eating and you may lose weight.

Diarrhea can make your body lose too much water. This is sometimes called getting dehydrated. You need to make sure you drink plenty of water or soft drinks if you have diarrhea.

Rarely, the amoebas can break out of your bowels (

intestine
Your intestine is a long tube that runs from your stomach to your rectum. The intestine is divided into the small intestine and the large intestine. The small intestine helps your body absorb nutrients. The large intestine helps your body absorb water and other materials.

intestines) and get into your

liver
Your liver is a large organ that sits on the right side of your body, just below your rib cage. It does several important things, including processing and storing nutrients from food, and breaking down chemicals, such as alcohol.

liver. This can cause you to:

Source:
Horga MA, Naparts TR, Dhawan VK, et al.
Amebiasis.
Available at http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic80.htm (accessed on 28 November 2008).

Source:
Stanley SL.
Amoebiasis.
Lancet. 2003; 361: 1025-1034.

Have a dull pain or tenderness in your abdomen
Have a cough
Lose your appetite
Lose weight.

Sources for the information on this page:

Horga MA, Naparts TR, Dhawan VK, et al.Amebiasis.Available at http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic80.htm (accessed on 28 November 2008).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Amebiasis fact sheet.Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/amebiasis (accessed on 28 November 2008).

Stanley SL.Amoebiasis.Lancet. 2003; 361: 1025-1034.

This information was last updated on Dec 04, 2008

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