Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis history and symptoms

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Balamuthia infection is very rare. The Balamuthia amebas can infect the skin, sinuses, brain and other organs of the body. Therefore, Balamuthia infection can cause a wide range of symptoms. Disease can begin with a skin wound on the face, trunk, or limbs and can then progress to the brain where it cause a disease called Granulomatous Amebic Encephalitis (GAE)[1,2].

History and Symptoms

• Headache
• Low-grade fever
• Mood swings
• Lethargy
• Confusion
• Seizures
• Focal neurological deficits (such as hemiparesis or cranial neuropathy)
• Meningeal irritation (such as stiff neck)

Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure such as nausea and vomiting are common

Other signs of Balamuthia GAE may include:

• Behavioral changes
• Seizures
• Weight loss
• Partial paralysis
• Speech difficulties
• Difficulty walking

Balamuthia can also cause a widespread infection involving multiple body parts.

The disease might appear mild at first but can become more severe over weeks to several months [2, 3], with a death rate of more than 95%[4]. Overall, the outlook for people who get this disease is poor, although early diagnosis and treatment may increase the chances for survival[4].

References

2. Perez MT, Bush LM. Fatal amebic encephalitis caused by Balamuthia mandrillaris in an immunocompetent host: a clinicopathological review of pathogenic free-living amebae in human hosts. Ann Diagn Pathol. Dec 2007;11(6):440-447.

3. Maciver SK. The threat from Balamuthia mandrillaris. J Med Microbiol. Jan 2007;56(Pt 1):1-3.

4. Visvesvara GS, Moura H, Schuster FL. Pathogenic and opportunistic free-living amoebae: Acanthamoeba spp. , Balamuthia mandrillaris, Naegleria fowleri, and Sappinia diploidea. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. Jun 2007;50(1):1-26.

5. Siddiqui R, Khan NA. Balamuthia amoebic encephalitis: an emerging disease with fatal consequences. Microb Pathog. Feb 2008;44(2):89-97.