title: Update on Acanthamoeba Keratitis: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A literature review to describe the current diagnosis and management of Acanthamoeba keratitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acanthamoeba is a ubiquitous protozoan: 8 species, 5 genotypic classes have been reported to cause keratitis. It is potentially a sight-threatening infection, and there is often a poor prognosis because of a significant delay in diagnosis and frequently a lack of effective medical management. Main risk factors are contact lens wear, poor hygiene, and contact with contaminated water. Current methods of diagnosis include corneal scrapings for histopathologic analysis, tissue culture, confocal microscopy, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), each are reviewed in turn. Treatment options include medical (biguanides, diamidines, and corticosteroids) and surgical (epithelial debridement, amniotic membrane transplant, and penetrating keratoplasty).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early diagnosis and treatment are required to effectively manage this condition.
authors.affiliation: Eye Department, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, Hants, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nicholas J R
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Maycock
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jayaswal
mesh_terms: D015823:Acanthamoeba Keratitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents