title: Granulomatous amoebic meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent patient.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report a case of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis caused by Balamuthia mandrillaris.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case report.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  An adult female patient without any apparent suppressor immune system factor had central nervous system infection caused by B mandrillaris.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical, neuroimaging, and pathology findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study shows the diagnosis of B mandrillaris encephalitis suspected from a cerebral biopsy specimen and confirmed by immunohistochemical and polymerase chain reaction studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that the diagnosis of amoebic encephalitis represents a clinical challenge and confirming diagnoses are made, in most cases, after death. High suspicion, histopathologic examination, and indirect immunofluorescence, polymerase chain reaction, and cytokine studies from tissue and cerebrospinal fluid are the main devices to reach the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Alencar E
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Stanley de Almeida
authors.initials: Sde A
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Izabela Faria de Freitas E
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Avellar
authors.forename: José Eymard Homem
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pittella
authors.forename: José Teotônio de
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Paulo Pereira
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Christo
mesh_terms: D000562:Amebiasis / Q000150:complications*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed