In Australia, amoebiasis is thought to occur in travellers, immigrants from endemic areas, and among men who have sex with men. Prevalence of amoebiasis in communities with immigrants from Entamoeba histolytica-endemic countries is unknown. The present study is a retrospective case series analysis of patients with laboratory-confirmed amoebiasis from Western Sydney Local Health District, Australia, between years 2005 and 2016. Forty-nine patients with amoebiasis were identified, resulting in an estimated annual incidence of up to 1.1 cases per 100,000 adults. Many were born in Australia (15/47) and India (12/47). Three patients (3/37) had no history of overseas travel, two others had not travelled to an endemic country, and an additional two had a very remote history of overseas travel; one died of fulminant amoebic colitis. Three patients (3/16) were employed in the food industry and one had a history of colonic irrigation in an Australian 'wellness clinic'. Patients had invasive amoebiasis with either liver abscess (41/48) or colitis (7/48), diagnosed most commonly by serology. Invasive procedures were common, including aspiration of liver abscess (28/41), colonoscopy (11/49), and partial hepatectomy (1/49). Although rare, local acquisition of amoebiasis occurs in Western Sydney and contributes to significant morbidity and hospital admissions.
Keywords: Entamoeba histolytica; amoebiasis; colitis; endemic; liver abscess; local acquisition.