BALANTIDIUM COLI INFECTION WITH REPORT OF A CASE IN A CHILD

Abstract

There appeared in my service in the outpatient department of the Touro Infirmary in New Orleans an interesting and unusual case of dysentery which because of the age of the patient, the source of the infection and the character of the organism found deserves recording if for no other reason than as a reminder of another possible etiologic factor in the production of frequent stools. The infrequency of many diseases in childhood undoubtedly is in great part due to lessened exposure incident to age. This explanation advanced several years ago in the instance of amebiasis in children may also be suggested for the rare infection in childhood of this unusual offender in man. While the case was not observed for as long a time as would have been preferred, nevertheless for the foregoing reasons and because of the easy means of its recognition, this case of Balantidium coli in a