title: Rapidly fatal Acanthamoeba encephalitis and treatment of cryoglobulinemia.
abstract: We describe a 66-year-old woman with therapy-refractory cryoglobulinemia treated with rituximab, plasmapheresis, and steroids; a case of fatal meningoencephalitis caused by Acanthamoeba spp. then developed. Such infections are rare and show an unusually rapid course (possibly related to rituximab).
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Gasthuisberg University Hospital, Leuven, Belgium. wouter.meersseman@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: Wouter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meersseman
authors.forename: Katrien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lagrou
authors.forename: Raf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sciot
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Jonckheere
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haberler
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walochnik
authors.forename: Willy E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Peetermans
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Wijngaerden
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000368:Aged; D000562:Amebiasis / Q000209:etiology*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000069283:Rituximab; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D013256:Steroids; D000069283:Rituximab