About this topic
Amebiasis is an infection of the GI tract. Your GI tract is also known as your gastrointestinal tract. It is made up of your mouth, swallowing tube, stomach, bowels, and anus. This infection is caused by a parasite. A parasite is a bug or worm that you have taken in your body, most likely through food or water that was in contact with the bug or worm. When you have this illness, it stays in your large bowel and makes you sick. Your bowel may swell and you will have loose stools. Most often, this parasite is found in countries with poor sources of drinking water. You may get this illness from drinking infected water. You can also get it from some other person who has the disease. Doctors may give you drugs to treat this illness. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Take your drugs as directed by the doctor.
- Wash your hands with soap and water before eating and after using the toilet.
- Drink water only from a clean source. Boil the water properly and let it cool down before you drink it.
- Eat well-cooked meals.
- Avoid sharing your personal items while you have the infection. Wash clothing and bedding in hot water.
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. This will help to replace what you lose with loose stools and throwing up.
- Avoid preparing food for others while you have the infection.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. You may need to have stool tests. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Fight an infection
- Lower fever
Will physical activity be limited?
Activities may also be limited if you are feeling weak and still in pain. ‚
What changes to diet are needed?
- Avoid eating dairy products that can make loose stools worse.
- Stay away from foods that are greasy, high in fiber, or sweet.
- You may eat soft, bland foods like bananas, plain rice, boiled potatoes, applesauce, toast, and crackers.
What problems could happen?
- Fluid loss
- Spread of infection to other parts of the body
- Pus formation in the liver
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Practice proper sanitation and disposal of stool.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 15 seconds.
- Wash your hands after going to the toilet and before eating.
- Teach children to keep their hands out of their mouth.
- If you suspect that your drinking water may be contaminated, boil it for at least 30 minutes before drinking or cooking with it.
- Wash, peel, or cook raw fruits and vegetables before you eat them.
- Avoid sharing personal items with an infected person.
- Practice safe sex. Use condoms or dental dams for anal and oral contact.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of fluid loss. These include dark-colored urine or no urine for more than 8 hours, dry mouth and tongue, dry skin, sunken eyes, lack of energy, feeling faint, or passing out.
- Signs of amebiasis come back like feeling sick, having more loose stools, cramping
- You are not feeling better in 2 or 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what I can do to help avoid passing the infection to others.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have dark colored urine, dry mouth, lack of energy, more loose stools, or cramping.
Where can I learn more?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/amebiasis/ ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/parasitic/amebiasis.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚