Acute appendicitis caused by amebiasis

We report a case of appendicitis caused by amebiasis in a 45-year-old Japan ese man. He presented to our hospital with bloody stools in June 1998, Sigm oidoscopy disclosed erosion, and a biopsy of the erosion showed colitis cau sed by Entamoeba histolytica infection. Four months later, he was admitted to our hospital with a small elastic mass and severe pain in the lower quad rant of the abdomen, which was diagnosed as acute appendicitis. He underwen t appendectomy. Histopathological examination revealed numerous E, histolyt ica trophozoites, and we diagnosed acute appendicitis caused by E. histolyt ica. The patient has been free of symptoms, colonoscopy has revealed no ero sion, and biopsy has revealed Ilo E. histolytica for 12 months after the op eration.