Symptomatic amebic colitis in a Japanese homosexual AIDS patient

A 30-year-old Japanese homosexual AIDS patient was admitted to hospital because of Kaposi's sarcoma and mild diarrhea on February 4, 1993. Mud-like stool with blood and mucous was recognized after admission. Although serologic tests for Entamoeba histolytica were negative, trophozoites of E. histolytica were identified in his bloody stool. Daily doses of 1,000 mg of metronidazole were given orally for 6 days and then 750 mg for 4 days, and good results were observed. His CD4 count was 19.5/mm3. Symptomatic amebic colitis was easily treated and good results were obtained even with the extremely diminished CD4 count. This is the first published report of symptomatic amebic colitis in an AIDS patient in Japan.