Epidemiology of Domestically Acquired Amebiasis in Japan, 2000–2013

Masahiro Ishikane Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Global Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan; Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

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Yuzo Arima Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Global Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan; Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

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Atsuhiro Kanayama Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Global Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan; Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

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Takuri Takahashi Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Global Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan; Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

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Takuya Yamagishi Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Global Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan; Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

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Yuichiro Yahata Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Global Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan; Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

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Tamano Matsui Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Global Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan; Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

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Tomimasa Sunagawa Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Global Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan; Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

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Tomoyoshi Nozaki Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Global Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan; Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

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Kazunori Oishi Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Global Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan; Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.15-0560
Volume/Issue:
Volume 94: Issue 5
Page(s):
1008–1014
Restricted access
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Notifications of amebiasis have been increasing in Japan. Using national surveillance data during 2000–2013, reported cases of amebiasis were analyzed. A case of amebiasis was defined as laboratory-confirmed Entamoeba histolytica infection, regardless of presence of symptoms. We described temporal trends and analyzed correlates of asymptomatic versus symptomatic cases based on odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using logistic regression. Of 9,946 cases reported during 2000–2013, 7,403 were domestic cases. During this period, the proportion of domestic cases increased from 63% to 85%. Among male cases, majority were middle aged, and from 2008, the number of cases attributed to heterosexual contact surpassed that of homosexual contact. During 2010–2013, increase in notifications was associated with asymptomatic cases, colonoscopy diagnosis, and males with unknown or heterosexual route of infection. Among males, colonoscopy (OR = 31.5; 95% CI = 14.0–71.0) and cases with unknown route of infection, relative to homosexual contact (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.3–3.9), were associated with asymptomatic infections in multivariate analysis. Although the recent rise may have been due to enhanced detection by colonoscopy or reporting, the large number of asymptomatic cases, with reportedly unknown or heterosexual route of infection, has led to a better understanding of amebiasis in Japan and highlights the potential public health concern.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Yuzo Arima, Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan. E-mail: arima@niid.go.jp

Financial support: This work was supported by the Research on Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases and Immunization (H27-shinkougyousei-shitei-001) of Japan.

Authors' addresses: Masahiro Ishikane, Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan, and Division of Global Infectious Diseases, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan, E-mail: ishimasa@niid.go.jp. Yuzo Arima, Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan, E-mail: arima@niid.go.jp. Atsuhiro Kanayama, Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan, and Department of Global Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan, E-mail: kanayama@ndmc.ac.jp. Takuri Takahashi, Takuya Yamagishi, Yuichiro Yahata, Tamano Matsui, Tomimasa Sunagawa, and Kazunori Oishi, Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan, E-mails: takuri@niid.go.jp, tack73@gmail.com, yahata@niid.go.jp, djyu@niid.go.jp, sunatomi@niid.go.jp, and oishik@niid.go.jp. Tomoyoshi Nozaki, Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan, E-mail: nozaki@niid.go.jp.

Reprint requests: Yuzo Arima, Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan, E-mail: arima@niid.go.jp, Tel: +81-3-5285-1111, Fax: +81-3-5285-1233.

Copyright:
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2016
Received:
03 Aug 2015
|
Accepted:
28 Jan 2016
|
Published Online:
04 May 2016
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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