Brain-Eating Amoebae: Predilection Sites in the Brain and Disease Outcome

Timothy Yu Yee Ong; Naveed Ahmed Khan; Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui

doi:10.1128/JCM.02300-16

Brain-Eating Amoebae: Predilection Sites in the Brain and Disease Outcome

J Clin Microbiol. 2017 Jul;55(7):1989-1997. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02300-16. Epub 2017 Apr 12.

Authors

Timothy Yu Yee Ong¹, Naveed Ahmed Khan², Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia.
² Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia naveed5438@gmail.com.

Abstract

Acanthamoeba spp. and Balamuthia mandrillaris are causative agents of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE), while Naegleria fowleri causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM is an acute infection that lasts a few days, while GAE is a chronic to subacute infection that can last up to several months. Here, we present a literature review of 86 case reports from 1968 to 2016, in order to explore the affinity of these amoebae for particular sites of the brain, diagnostic modalities, treatment options, and disease outcomes in a comparative manner.

Keywords: brain; central nervous system infections; free-living amoebae; meningoencephalitis.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amebiasis / pathology*
Balamuthia mandrillaris / isolation & purification*
Brain / parasitology*
Brain / pathology*
Central Nervous System Infections / parasitology*
Central Nervous System Infections / pathology*
Diagnostic Tests, Routine / methods
Humans
Naegleria fowleri / isolation & purification*
Treatment Outcome