[Diagnosis of intestinal amebiasis]

Three cases of intestinal amebiasis with varying clinical pictures are presented. One patient developed an amebic liver abscess and also amebic colitis, which was mistaken for Crohn's disease. A second patient with amebic dysentery had no Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites in fecal material because of previous therapy with an antiprotozoal drug. The third patient, who had colitis and severe constitutional symptoms, had trophozoites in the stool but negative serological tests. The diagnostic value of radiology and endoscopy, of examinations of stool and exsudate, and of histopathology and serology is discussed.