| Theme |
Infectious diseases of the intestine |
| Title |
Characteristics of intestinal infections of protozoa (except for amoebic dysentery) and helminths |
| Author |
Katsuya Endo |
Division of Gastroenterology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University |
| Author |
Ken Umemura |
Division of Gastroenterology, South Miyagi Medical Center |
| Author |
Eiki Nomura |
Division of Gastroenterology, Sendai City Hospital |
| [ Summary ] |
In general, parasites (parasites in a broad sense) are classified into protozoa and helminths (parasites in the narrow sense). The protozoa are single-celled microorganisms and the helminths are multicellular organisms. The most frequent intestinal infection of protozoa is amoebic dysentery, caused by Entamoeba histolytica. On the other hand, the representative intestinal tract infections of helminths include diphyllobothriasis, strongyloidiasis, anisakiasis, and schistosomiasis. A precise medical interview is extremely important in clinical practice because these parasitic infectious diseases reflect the characteristic medical histories and life histories of the patient. It is also important to be familiar with specific diagnostic methods to identify parasites and anthelmintic treatments. |