Acute fulminant necrotizing colitis caused by amebiasis: report of a case

Fulminating colitis rarely develops as a complication of amebiasis; however, it is difficult to diagnose and treat, and associated with a very high mortality rate. We report herein the case of a 62-year-old man with superacute fulminant necrotizing amebic colitis who, despite treatment with aggressive surgery and antiamebic agents, died of multiple organ failure following sepsis on the 25th day after onset. The patient had no immmunosuppressive disorders and claimed that he had never had homosexual intercourse, or traveled to the tropics in recent years. Since the incidence of amebiasis is increasing in developed countries, including Japan, more attention should be focused on the fulminating nature of this disease.