Infections caused by pathogenic free-living amebas (Balamuthia mandrillaris and Acanthamoeba sp.) in horses.
This article describes amebic infections in 4 horses: granulomatous amebic encephalitis caused by Balamuthia mandrillaris and Acanthamoeba culbertsoni and systemic infections caused by Acanthamoeba sp. The former infection occurred in 1 of 4 horses spontaneously without any underlying conditions; the latter amebic infection was perhaps "opportunistic" considering the visceral involvement by this protozoan in association with Aspergillus sp. and/or Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas sp. The clinicopathologic findings and demonstration of the amebic organisms using immunohistochemical techniques, culture, polymerase chain reactions, and electron microscopy are presented.
Kinde
Hailu
H
California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), San Bernardino Branch, 105 West Central Avenue, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USA. hkinde@ucdavis.edu
Read
Deryck H
DH
Daft
Barbara M
BM
Manzer
Michael
M
Nordhausen
Robert W
RW
Kelly
Daryl J
DJ
Fuerst
Paul A
PA
Booton
Gregory
G
Visvesvara
Govinda S
GS
D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000562:Amebiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D006736:Horses; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary
D016054:DNA, Protozoan