Clinical Features of Fulminant Amebic Colitis (FAC)

 

Clinical features:

(1) abdominal pain and/or tenderness

(2) diarrhea

(3) lower gastrointestinal bleeding (colon and/or rectum)

(4) fever

(5) tachycardia (pulse > 100 per minute)

(6) hypotension (systolic blood pressure < 90 mm Hg)

 

Complications:

(1) peritonitis

(2) sepsis

(3) massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage

(4) amebic liver abscess

 

Early and aggressive surgical management is recommended. A primary bowel anastomosis is not recommended because of a high rate of dehiscence.

 

The overall mortality was almost 90% in the series of Takahashi et al.