Diagnosis and Management of Pleuropulmonary Amebiasis

Abstract

Aim: to describe updated pleuropulmonary amebiasis diagnosis and management. Discussion: Pleuropulmonary amebiasis (PA) is the second most common complication of extraintestinal amebiasis. Pleuropulmonary complications occur in 7-20% of patients with amebic liver abscess (ALA) and 2-3% of patients with invasive amebiasis. Low socio-economic status, poor hygiene, lack of knowledge, overcrowding area, and lack of safe drinking water are the predisposing factors of this infection. Pleuropulmonary amebiasis is not a rare condition, especially in developing countries, but the diagnosis is often missed so that the patient's illness is prolonged and causes death. Therefore, this literature review describes the pathogenesis, transmission, diagnosis, and treatment of pleuropulmonary amebiasis. Clinical symptoms of this disease are not typical, such as fever, right upper quadrant abdominal pain radiating to the shoulder, chest pain, dry/productive cough, and weight loss resulting in often mistaken diagnosis with pulmonary tuberculosis, bacterial lung abscess, and lung carcinoma. Diagnosis can be made through radiographic and parasitological examinations (from lung aspirates/pus, sputum, and blood specimens). The treatment with amebicide and drainage cured most of the patient with this disease. The awareness of pleuropulmonary amebiasis should be improved, so that diagnosis can be carried out correctly and appropriate treatment can be obtained.