Amebiasis, as trichinosis, is not a bacterial disease. A single-celled animal (an ameba) cause amebic dysentery in humans. The organism is called Endamoeba histolytica.
Amebiasis varies greatly in symptoms from patients to patient and periodically in severity in the same patient. Diarrhea is a common symptom of the diseases, and it may be persistent and severe, mild and occasional. Abdominal pain, fatigue and fever are sometimes encountered. Incubation lasts from 2 days to several months, but it usually 3-4 weeks.
The control of Amebiasis is essentially matter of good sanitary procedures.
- Drinking water, water added to foods, and used for washing and sanitizing of equipment and utensils and for irrigation of crops should be portable.
- Drinking water to be used for foods or for equipment or utensils that contact foods, taken form deep wells, lakes, or ponds, should be tested periodically for bacteriological safety. Although this is not a bacterial disease, it appears to occur when bacteria indicative of pollution with human discharge are present.
- Persons known to have had amebic dysentery should be rigidly excluded from food handling of any kind.
