What are the symptoms of amebiasis?
Symptoms appear 2-4 weeks after infection; however, sometimes, it may take a few days, several months or even years before becoming ill. Nine in ten people who carry E. histolytica in their feces have no symptoms, but can still pass the disease on to others. The symptoms are often mild and can include loose stools, stomach pain, and stomach cramping. A severe form of amebiasis causes stomach pain, bloody stools, and fever. Liver abscesses and brain or lung infections occur infrequently.
Only about 10% to 20% of people who are infected with E. histolytica become sick from the infection. The symptoms often are quite mild and can include loose stools, stomach pain, and stomach cramping. Amebic dysentery is a severe form of amebiasis associated with stomach pain, bloody stools, and fever. Rarely, E. histolytica invades the liver and forms an abscess. Even less commonly, it spreads to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or brain.
