Amoebiosis

The gastrointestinal disease accounts for a large number of deaths in several parts of the world. Gastrointestinal infection has been an emerging problem in Sikkim and Darjeeling District and also in other parts of our country. To study the prevalence and to explore the risk factors associated with gastrointestinal diseases in Sikkim and Darjeeling District. The present study is the population based descriptive type cross sectional study. The study design was based on random selection among 100 individuals from different areas of Sikkim and Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Questionnaire based anonymous feedback system was followed to collect the data. The data were analyzed using statistical tool and the relative risk was calculated. Total 65 (65%) cases of gastrointestinal disease were found in 100 individuals out of which 24 were males and 41 were females. Cases of diarrhea, gastroenteritis, dysentery, food poisoning, amoebiosis and enterocolitis was 34, 18, 3, 3, 1 and 0% respectively. The statistical analysis reveals that a gastrointestinal disease is more prevalent in females as compared to males and in the age group between 15 and 25 years. The various associated risk factors for gastrointestinal disease which was observed during the study were frequency of diet, diet type, consumption of spicy food, fermented food, smoking, consumption of alcohol, consumption of fruits available in market and an inappropriate sanitary condition.

amoebiosis

Infections caused by the parasitic amoeba Entamoeba histolytica and free-living amoebae of the genera Naegleria, Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia occur principally in humans and are rare in domestic animals. In humans, E. histolytica is the cause of amoebiosis, which is chiefly characterized by the development of ulcers in the colon and, in some cases, abscesses in organs such as the liver, while the brain is specifically involved in disease caused by Naegleria, Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia spp. Few cases of the diseases have been diagnosed in livestock in southern Africa.

In most species, the clinical signs of amoebiosis vary according to the location and severity of the lesions. In the intestinal disease a catarrhal or haemorrhagic diarrhoea or dysentery may be present.5, 10

The diagnosis of amoebiosis is based on demonstration of the parasite in faeces, or in biopsy and necropsy specimens, and on positive serological tests, for example agar gel diffusion, cellulose acetate diffusion, and indirect fluorescent antibody tests.5, 10

High cases of water borne diseases especially dysentry, typhiod, hepatitis B, diarhea, amoebiosis and cholera as of every 10 cases, 9 are of water related cause in Erussi. This emanates from the fact that, the populations in these rural villages have been using unsafe, bushy, muddy and rusty water sources for all their water needs including drinking, cooking, washing and household activities. This is made worse by poor water handling and maintenance practices by the local water users. 041b061a72