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Does Amoebiasis Cause High ALT Level?

Posted on Mon, 15 Sep 2014

Question: I'm suffering from amoebiasis and my ALT comes out today is 80 after blood test. Is it sign of worry?
I had unprotected sex 15 weeks before and I had Hep B test done after 8 weeks ( antibody, core antigen and surface antigen) and it comes out negative.
Is it 100% accurate result?
Does my ALT is high because of amoebiasis or there are chances of Hepatitis?

Answered by Dr. Dr.Albana Sejdini (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Medications used to treat amoebiasis...

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Amoebiasis is a parasitic disease involving many organs in different stages of infection including: colon, liver, etc.

If liver is affected, then, you should have another clinical presentation, and should be in the hospital due to liver abscess. If you are not hospitalized, then, amoebiasis is located in your colon only.

There are several factors contributing in high ALT readings, including common viral infections to hepatitis.

All the hepatitis tests you done are all accurate. If they resulted negative, no worries about hep B.

Other factors include:
- alcohol consumption
- fatty liver (hepatosteatosis)
- metabolic diseases like diabetes
- obesity
- medications (including those taken to treat amoebiasis)

I need to have all your liver panel reports together with other blood tests you did in order to give final conclusions.

If you have run abdominal ultrasound or any other test, kindly upload the reports for further evaluations!

From what you are prescribing, amoebiasis has nothing to do with your liver; medications used to treat amoebiasis can cause high ALT too.

All the best!
Dr.Albana

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr.Albana Sejdini (18 minutes later)

I had flagyl 500mg for days and stop taking it about 2 weeks.
My doctor said normal ALT is 72 and your is 80 and I'm not worried because of this. He said that during Hep B it goes upto 1000.
Do I need to go for Hep B again?
Because of window period.
My doctor said I don't need to go for again, it is 100% correct.

Answered by Dr. Dr.Albana Sejdini (28 hours later)

Brief Answer:
No need for another hep.B test...

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

As the reference range of the lab where you did the tests was up to 72, and yours is 80, then, this is not worrisome. ALT can be raised up to 100 and could be normal and not worrisome too. While, it is true that is spikes higher levels during hep.B or other hepatitis types.

I also agree with your doctor as you ran the antigen tests which is 100% correct. I don't think you need another testing for hep.B neither.

All the best and have always protected sex!
Dr.Albana

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr.Albana Sejdini (8 hours later)

I have been prescribed 500mg for 10 days (3xday) and now after 2 weeks 750mg for 10 days( 3 x day). But it's not helpful and it's not improving.
Is it normal that flagyl won't effective in entamoeba histolytica?

Answered by Dr. Dr.Albana Sejdini (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Paromomycin to be started...

Detailed Answer:
Hi back,

First, I need to know:
- where is the site of infection: colon? liver?
- what types did they detected during the microscopic examination: trophozoides or cysts?

Flagyl is the trade name for the generic Metronidazole. It is a good choice to treat:
- colonic amebiasis
- trophozoides

and have no influence on cysts or intraluminal amoebiasis.

So, I usually prescribe Flagyl as the first line of treatment, followed by a luminal agent (e.g. paromomycin).

You can discuss this further with your doctor.

Wish fast recovery!
Dr.Albana

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar