Amebiasis

• Case counts (2016-2025), population estimates (2016-2023), & population projections (2024-2025): Public Health Ontario.
• Query: Case counts of reportable diseases by public health unit and year. Toronto, ON: Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion; extracted on March 9, 2026.

Amebiasis fact sheet

Report to the Health Unit within one business day by fax (705-482-0670) or by phone at 705-474-1400 or toll free at 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5229 if amebiasis is suspected or confirmed as per Ontario Regulation 135/18 and amendments under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O., c.H.7.​

Asymptomatic individuals carrying the pathogen can be treated with luminal amebicides (kills cysts).

Symptomatic individuals should be treated with tissue amebicides (kills trophozoites), followed by a luminal amebicide to eliminate any surviving organisms in the colon.

Therapeutic aspiration/drainage of an amebic liver may be required, alone or along with antiparasitic therapy, in patients who do not respond to therapy.

For hospitalized individuals, enteric precautions in the handling of feces, contaminated clothing, and bed linen.

The diagnostic approach differs based on whether the infection is intestinal or extraintestinal (i.e. liver abscess).

Intestinal Amebiasis (PCR Stool Testing)

• If intestinal amebiasis is strongly suspected, multiple stool specimens (up to six) should be collected every other day until a diagnosis is made due to the intermittent shedding of the organism and the limited sensitivity of a single stool specimen. 
• For additional information and instruction on specimen collection, refer to Public Health Ontario Lab’s (PHOL) Test Information Sheet on Enteric Protozoa (Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Dientamoeba, Entamoeba, and Giardia) - PCR.

External Amebiasis (Sterile body fluid/Tissue/Serum/Clotted Blood)

• Microscopy, PCR, and serology may be indicated for the diagnosis of individuals suspected of extraintestinal amebiasis (e.g. amebic liver, brain, lung, or other abscess; or perineal ulcerative lesions), in addition to histopathology. 
• For additional information and instruction on specimen collection, refer to Public Health Ontario Lab’s (PHOL) Test Information Sheet on Extraintestinal Entamoeba histolytica (Amebic Abscess) – Microscopy, PRC, and Antibody.

• Infectious Disease Protocol: Appendix 1: Amebiasis
• Public Health Ontario: Amebiasis
• Public Health Agency of Canada: Pathogen Safety Data Sheets: Infectious Substances – Entamoeba histolytic
• Public Health Ontario Labstract: Entamoeba histolytica/dispar Differentiation Test
• Heymann, D. L. (Ed.). (2022). Control of Communicable Diseases Manual. (21st. ed.). American Public Health Association.