Infectious Disease Compendium

Balantidium coli

Microbiology

A protozoan. As the CDC notes: It is also called "Neobalantidium coli or Balantioides coli, although this nomenclature has neither been resolved nor widely adopted in the medical community."

Epidemiologic Risks

Travel to S. America and SE Asia, especially the Philippines. The normal host is the pig.  While many animals have their own Balantidium, only the pig version can infect humans,

Eating or drinking (contaminated water most commonly) pig shit. You would be surprised how much of your food has trace pig shit on it.

Syndromes

Most are asymptomatic, some will have explosive Hershey squirts (diarrhea, for you more fastidious readers).

Treatment

Tetracycline 500 mg qid for 10 days is the treatment of choice, iodoquinol 650 mg tid for 20 days OR metronidazole  500-750 mg tid for 5 days can be tried.

Notes

Last update: 01/13/20