Amoebiasis: a surgeon's view.

A small series of patients with amoebiasis presenting to the surgical service in Seychelles is described. The varied nature of the symptomatology indicates that this may be a local pattern of the disease process. The value of specific clinical features and the use of a therapeutic trial for diagnosis is emphasised. The features of common 'Third-World' diseases should be well known to all surgeons wherever they practise in view of the rapidity with which people can now travel from country to country.