Epidemiology, Transmission and Management of Pleuropulmonary Amoebiasis: A Review

With increasing travel and migration, rates of parasitic lung and pleural diseases are increasing in the immune-competent population in developed countries as well as among immune compromised patients. Amoebic pleuropulmonary disease is the most common complication of amoebic liver abscess, occurring in patients with amoebic liver disease and those with amoebic dysentery. The main source of transmission is the chronically infected human. Stools infected with the cyst form of the parasite may contaminate fresh food or water. The most common symptoms amoebic pleuropulmonary diseases include pain, cough, hemoptysis, and dyspnea. The pain may be pleuritic or localized to the right upperquadrant.The diagnosis of pleuropulmonary amoebiasis may be supported by the clinical manifestation. The diagnosis of pleuropulmonary amoebiasis may be supported by the clinical manifestation of the disease. The paper reviews the epidemiology, transmission and management of pleuropulmonary amoebiasis.

Keyword: Amoebiasis, Entamoeba histolytica, epidemiology, pleuropulmonary.