The emergence of amoebic dysentery mimicking COVID-19: A human case report from Iran

Abstract

Identical symptoms of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) with infectious and non-infectious disease have become challenging issue for health professions. In the present study, we describe a human case of amoebic dysentery mimicking severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS−CoV-2) infection in Iran with an emphasis on morphological and molecular diagnostic aspects of Entamoeba histolytica parasite. A 32-year-old woman with a history of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and mild fever of 38°C was diagnosed as COVID-19 with no prescription of real-time RT-PCR. The patient was prescribed having azithromycin 500 mg/day for 5 days. Her later aggravated conditions such as fulminant dysentery has led to the diagnosis of E. histolytica with parasitological and molecular methods. SARS-CoV-2 infection was ruled out in the second visit using real-time RT-PCR and ELISA. Treatment was completed with antiparasitic drugs including oral metronidazole 500 mg, 3 times/day for ten days, and oral iodoquinol 650 mg 3 times/day for twenty days. In general, health professions must be vigilant in all aspects of diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients to prevent any medical errors and misdiagnosis.