Amoebiasis as a cause of death in a Scottish resident

An elderly woman, resident throughout her life in Scotland presented with abdominal pain and diarrhoea. A provisional diagnosis of ulcerative colitis was made on sigmoidoscopy. At post mortem Entamoeba Histolytica was demonstrated in considerable numbers in the mucosal ulcers. It would appear though extremely rare that amoebiasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of colonic ulceration.