TREATMENT OF AMEBIASIS

THE HISTORY of the chemotherapy of amebiasis has been one of high hopes and high "cure" rates. One new drug follows another. Each triumph has been tempered by sobering experimental evidence that the ideal amebacidal drug has not been found. The clinician confronted with the very practical problem of selecting the most effective treatment for an individual patient with amebiasis is unlikely to find secure support in the conflicting reports of the recent publications for his therapeutic regimen. Even though there is an intensive search for more effective agents, a high cure rate can be expected with the proper use of the drugs we have. I propose to discuss the basis for therapy in the light of current understanding of the pathogenesis of amebiasis, the pharmacology of antiamebic drugs, and the clinical experience of many investigators. Extensive bibliographies dealing with the background of treatment of human amebiasis are in current