Clinical findings:
(1) The patient usually has underlying invasive intestinal amebiasis with amebic abscesses in the liver, lungs and other organs (disseminated disease via hematogenous spread).
(2) The patient presents with cerebral symptoms (altered mental status, delirium, seizures, headache, vomiting, meningeal signs, etc).
(3) Imaging studies may show a brain abscess, meningitis and/or meningoencephalitis.
Diagnosis may be made by:
(1) serology (indirect hemagglutination)
(2) PCR on CSF
(3) demonstration of organisms in a brain biopsy
(4) dramatic response to metronidazole therapy
