title: The in vitro efficacy of antimicrobial agents against the pathogenic free-living amoeba Balamuthia mandrillaris.
abstract: The free-living amoeba Balamuthia mandrillaris causes usually fatal encephalitis in humans and animals. Only limited studies have investigated the efficacy of antimicrobial agents against the organism. Assay methods were developed to assess antimicrobial efficacy against both the trophozoite and cyst stage of B. mandrillaris (ATCC 50209). Amphotericin B, ciclopirox olamine, miltefosine, natamycin, paromomycin, pentamidine isethionate, protriptyline, spiramycin, sulconazole and telithromycin had limited activity with amoebacidal levels of > 135-500 μM. However, diminazene aceturate (Berenil(®) ) was amoebacidal at 7.8 μM and 31.3-61.5 μM for trophozoites and cysts, respectively. Assays for antimicrobial testing may improve the prognosis for infection and aid in the development of primary selective culture isolation media.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, University of Leicester, Maurice Shock Building, University Road, Leicester, LE1 9HN, United Kingdom; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Building, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Arine F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Heaselgrave
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Andrew
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kilvington
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059611:Balamuthia mandrillaris / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D033761:Spores, Protozoan / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents
keywords: Cyst; diminazene aceturate; drug assays; in vitro culture; trophozoite