Toxic amebic colitis coexisting with intestinal tuberculosis

A patient with a fulminant amebic colitis coexisting with intestinal tuberc ulosis had a sudden onset of crampy abdominal pain, mucoid diarrhea, anorex ia, fever and vomiting with signs of positive peritoneal irritation. Fulmin ant amebic colitis occurring together with intestinal tuberculosis is an un common event and may present an interesting patho-etiological relationship. The diagnosis was proven by histopathologic examination of resected specim en. Subtotal colectomy including segmental resection of ileum, about 80 cm in length, followed by exteriorization of both ends, was performed in an em ergency basis. Despite ail measures, the patient died on the sixth postoper ative day. The exact relationship of fulminant amebic colitis and intestina l tuberculosis is speculative but the possibility of a cause and effect rel ationship exists. Fulminant amebic colitis may readily be confused with oth er types of inflammatory bower disease, such as idiopathic ulcerative colit is, Crohn's disease, perforated diverticulitis and appendicitis with perfor ation. This report draws attention to the resurgence of tuberculosis and am ebiasis in Korea, and the need for the high degree of caution required to d etect it.