Balantidium coli (Vestibuliferida: Balantidiidae): the persistence of an old problem

Hernández, F.; Argüello, A. P.; Rivera, P.; Jiménez, E.

Fatal cases of dysentery caused by Balantidium coli, and diagnosed post mortem, are reported from Costa Rica in 2 males aged 8 and 28 years. The most important findings in both cases were colonic inflammation, areas of damaged tissue, ulcers and abundant trophozoites in the crypts, submucosa and muscularis mucosa of the colon. In the adult, B. coli parasites were also observed in the peritoneal lymph nodes.