Fatal subacute necrotising brainstem encephalitis in a young man due to a rare parasitic (Balamuthia) infection.
We describe a case of brainstem inflammation in a young man which at first defied diagnosis. However, after his death, and notwithstanding our inability to find a cause at autopsy, we did not give up. After sending paraffin blocks to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, they suggested the diagnosis of Balamuthia (amoebic) infection.
Prasad
K
K
Department of Neurology, All IndiaInstitute of Medical Sciences, NewDelhi, India. drkameshwarprasad@yahoo.co.in
Bhatia
R
R
Srivastava
M V P
MV
Pardasani
V
V
Garg
A
A
Rishi
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000562:Amebiasis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male