[Amebic meningoencephalitis].
It has been reported that amebic meningoencephalitis is caused by some rhizopods, which are taxonomically different from Entamoeba histolytica which is well known as the causative agent of amebic dysentery. Different types of human meningoencephalitis have been reported to be caused by amphizoic amebae, which are not obligatorily parasitic (endozoic) but are usually free-living (exozoic) in nature, i.e., in environmental water and soil: Naegleria fowleri causes acute primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Acanthamoeba spp. and Balamuthia mandrillaris produce chronic and opportunistic granulomatous amebic (meningo) encephalitis (GAE). Further, most recently, Sappinia diploidea has been identified as an agent that causes comparatively acute type of encephalitis.
Fukuma
Toshihide
T
Department of Recovery and Rehabilitation, Imamura Hospital, 1523-6 Todoroki-machi, Tosu-shi, Saga 841-0061, Japan.
D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000328:Adult; D000562:Amebiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D020808:Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016848:Naegleria fowleri / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000648:ultrastructure