| asymptomatic aneurysm of the cavernous and supraclinoid internal carotid artery in a patient with balamuthia mandrillaris encephalitis. | this is the first report to our knowledge of the successful treatment of an asymptomatic mycotic aneurysm associated with balamuthia mandrillaris encephalitis. a 27-year-old male with end-stage renal disease presented with generalized seizures following renal transplantation. mri demonstrated multiple brain masses and an aneurysm of the cavernous and supraclinoid carotid artery. autopsy of the donor's brain revealed balamuthia encephalitis. the patient was placed on an anti-amebic regimen, his c ... | 2011 | 21652212 |
| identification of antigenic targets for immunodetection of balamuthia mandrillaris infection. | the free-living amoeba balamuthia mandrillaris causes granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (gae) in humans. rapid identification of balamuthiasis is critical for effective therapeutic intervention and case management. in the present study we identified target antigens for the development of a serological assay for b. mandrillaris infection. we demonstrated by silver staining that protein profiles for all eight isolates of b. mandrillaris, independent of human or animal origin or geographic origin, ... | 2011 | 21653740 |
| multifocal balamuthia mandrillaris infection in a dog in australia. | a 6-year-old male golden retriever, with an 8-month history of seizures and a clinical diagnosis of lymphoma in the central nervous system, was (at the owner's request) euthanized after signs of respiratory distress and shock developed. upon postmortem examination, the diagnoses of meningoencephalitis and pneumonia were made. a histological examination of selected tissues from both the lung and central nervous system revealed a severe, acute, multifocal, amoebic, embolic pneumonia and a severe, ... | 2007 | 17033842 |
| delivery of amphotericin b nanosuspensions to the brain and determination of activity against balamuthia mandrillaris amebas. | amphotericin b was formulated as nanosuspensions to develop a nanoparticulate brain delivery system. nanosuspensions were produced with different surfactant solutions by high-pressure homogenization and then characterized by laser diffractometry and photon correlation spectroscopy. before in vitro and in vivo testing all nanosuspensions were investigated for protein adsorption by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to predict brain-targeting capacities. selected nanosuspensions we ... | 2010 | 20060497 |
| fatal granulomatous amoebic meningoencephalitis due to balamuthia mandrillaris. | amoebic infections of the central nervous system (cns) are very rare and usually fatal. a 33-year-old bolivian male injured his elbow 18 months ago in an accident and, months later, developed multiple skin lesions. he was admitted with confusion, and brain images showed large multifocal lesions with mass effect. review of the skin biopsy revealed the presence of amoebic trophozoites within a granulomatous inflammation. despite treatment, he continued to deteriorate and died 17 days after admissi ... | 2008 | 18675522 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris and acanthamoeba amebic encephalitis with neurotoxoplasmosis co-infection in a patient with advanced hiv infection. | we describe a patient with advanced hiv infection, balamuthia mandrillaris and acanthamoeba amebic encephalitis with toxoplasma gondii co-infection. a multidisciplinary effort and state of the art diagnostic techniques were required for diagnosis. our patient is the first reported case of an hiv infected person with dual balamuthia mandrillaris and acanthamoeba amebic encephalitis with neurotoxoplasmosis co-infection. | 2011 | 22170911 |
| granulomatous amoebic encephalitis caused by balamuthia mandrillaris. | a 51-year-old immunocompetent japanese woman presented with a rare case of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (gae) caused by balamuthia mandrillaris. she was brought to our hospital with epilepsy. magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a homogeneously enhanced solitary mass in the left frontal lobe. histological diagnosis was made by a biopsy, which suggested lymphomatoid granulomatosis. after that, her neurological condition got worse. new masses were found and had spread across the ... | 2011 | 21946735 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris meningoencephalitis: survival of a pediatric patient. | balamuthia mandrillaris infections are rare and almost always fatal. this ameba is a naturally occurring soil inhabitant that can cause disease in immunocompetent hosts, with early diagnosis typically proving difficult. we recently cared for a previously healthy 2-year-old boy who was diagnosed with meningoencephalitis secondary to b mandrillaris relatively early in his presentation, which enabled us to initiate targeted antimicrobial therapy. since discharge from the hospital the child has show ... | 2010 | 20123772 |
| clinical metagenomic identification of balamuthia mandrillaris encephalitis and assembly of the draft genome: the continuing case for reference genome sequencing. | primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (pam) is a rare, often lethal, cause of encephalitis, for which early diagnosis and prompt initiation of combination antimicrobials may improve clinical outcomes. | 2015 | 26620704 |
| successful treatment of balamuthia mandrillaris amoebic infection with extensive neurological and cutaneous involvement. | granulomatous amoebic encephalitis caused by balamuthia mandrillaris is an uncommon infection for which there is no optimal therapy. we describe a young, female patient who presented with extensive cutaneous and neurological involvement and who recovered after receiving prolonged treatment with miltefosine, fluconazole, and albendazole. | 2010 | 20550438 |
| notes from the field: transplant-transmitted balamuthia mandrillaris --- arizona, 2010. | on august 23, 2010, cdc was notified regarding two organ transplant recipients in arizona who had encephalitis with multiple ring-enhancing lesions revealed by cerebral magnetic resonance imaging. the common organ donor, a hispanic male landscaper aged 27 years, had died in arizona from a presumed stroke on july 21. he had a large skin lesion for approximately 6 months on his back that he had attributed to an insect bite. the ill recipients, a male liver recipient aged 56 years, and a male recip ... | 2010 | 20847722 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris brain abscess successfully treated with complete surgical excision and prolonged combination antimicrobial therapy. | amoebic encephalitis is an uncommon and usually fatal condition. this case describes successful treatment of a balamuthia mandrillaris brain abscess using prolonged antimicrobial agents with complete excision. it illustrates the risk of dissemination from cutaneous to cerebral amoebic lesions, potential progression with corticosteroid therapy, and the prospect for curative excision. | 2010 | 21073255 |
| encephalitis caused by pathogens transmitted through organ transplants, united states, 2002-2013. | the cause of encephalitis among solid organ transplant recipients may be multifactorial; the disease can result from infectious or noninfectious etiologies. during 2002-2013, the us centers for disease control and prevention investigated several encephalitis clusters among transplant recipients. cases were caused by infections from transplant-transmitted pathogens: west nile virus, rabies virus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, and balamuthia mandrillaris amebae. in many of the clusters, iden ... | 0 | 25148201 |
| granulomatous amoebic meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent patient. | to report a case of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis caused by balamuthia mandrillaris. | 2010 | 21149814 |
| the ameba balamuthia mandrillaris feeds by entering into mammalian cells in culture. | microscopic observations of live cultures of the pathogenic ameba balamuthia mandrillaris and mammalian cells showed that amebic feeding involved the invasion of the pseudopodia, and/or the whole ameba into the cells. the ameba, recognized by their size and flow of organelles in the cytosol, was seen to extend the tip of a pseudopodium into the cytoplasm of a cell where it moved about leaving visible damage when retracted. in rounded cells, whole amebas were seen to enter into and move around be ... | 2007 | 17910691 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris infection of the skin and central nervous system: an emerging disease of concern to many specialties in medicine. | balamuthia mandrillaris infection of the skin and central nervous system has been increasingly reported in the last decade, making this entity a genuine emerging disease. the ability of the clinician in recognizing the skin lesion early in the course of the disease may lead to a successful therapeutic intervention in an otherwise fatal disease. | 2011 | 21192259 |
| best cases from the afip: balamuthia mandrillaris amebic meningoencephalitis. | | 2011 | 21257931 |
| parasitoses of the human central nervous system. | cerebral involvement in parasitoses is an important clinical manifestation of most of the human parasitoses. parasites that have been described to affect the central nervous system (cns), either as the dominant or as a collateral feature, include cestodes (taenia solium (neurocysticerciasis), echinococcus granulosus (cerebral cystic echinococcosis), e. multilocularis (cerebral alveolar echinococcosis), spirometra mansoni (neurosparganosis)), nematodes (toxocara canis and t. cati (neurotoxocarias ... | 2013 | 23046708 |
| fatal amebic encephalitis caused by balamuthia mandrillaris in an immunocompetent host: a clinicopathological review of pathogenic free-living amebae in human hosts. | encephalitis caused by balamuthia amebic species is an increasingly recognized chronic granulomatous infectious process that may affect both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. the course of the disease is insidious but fatal in most cases, mainly because of delayed diagnosis, difficulty in isolation and/or identification of the organism, and lack of well-established therapeutic regimens. we report a fatal case of balamuthia mandrillaris chronic granulomatous encephalitis in an im ... | 2007 | 18022130 |
| erratum balamuthia mandrillaris meningoencephalitis in an immunocompromised patient. | | 2009 | 19199467 |
| coexistence of free-living amoebae and bacteria in selected south african hospital water distribution systems. | pathogenic free-living amoebae (fla), such as naegleria fowleri, balamuthia mandrillaris and acanthamoeba species isolated from aquatic environments have been implicated in central nervous system, eye and skin human infections. they also allow the survival, growth and transmission of bacteria such as legionella, mycobacteria and vibrio species in water systems. the purpose of this study was to investigate the co-occurrence of potentially pathogenic fla and their associated bacteria in hospital w ... | 2017 | 27730363 |
| the cyst wall carbohydrate composition of balamuthia mandrillaris. | balamuthia mandrillaris is an opportunistic cyst-producing amoeba that can cause rare, but fatal, balamuthia amoebic encephalitis (bae). cysts are resistant to harsh environmental conditions and many antimicrobial compounds and thus can contribute to bae recurrence. however, little is known of cyst wall synthesis, cyst wall composition, or how encystment is induced. in this study, we examined the carbohydrate composition of the cyst wall. the major components were mannose (20.9 mol%) and glucose ... | 2009 | 19214576 |
| under the radar: balamuthia amebic encephalitis. | we present data from 9 years (1999-2008) of tests for balamuthia mandrillaris, an agent of amebic encephalitis that were conducted as part of the california encephalitis project. | 2009 | 19236272 |
| fatal balamuthia mandrillaris infection in a gorilla - first case of balamuthiasis in germany. | background a 12-year-old female western lowland gorilla died in a zoological garden in germany after exhibiting general neurological signs. methods balamuthia mandrillaris was identified as causative agent by indirect immunofluorescent staining of brain sections and confirmed by pcr and respective sequencing. results the animal suffered from a chronic progressive necrotizing amebic meningoencephalitis. conclusion this is the first case of balamuthia amebic encephalitis in germany. | 2011 | 21496054 |
| screening swiss water bodies for potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae. | free-ling amoebae (fla) including acanthamoeba spp., naegleria fowleri, balamuthia mandrillaris and sappinia pedata, can cause opportunistic infections leading to severe brain pathologies. human infections with pathogenic fla have been increasingly documented in many countries. in switzerland, thus far, the occurrence and distribution of potentially pathogenic fla has not been investigated. swiss water biotopes, including swimming pools, lakes, rivers and ponds, have now been screened for the pr ... | 2009 | 19589386 |
| disseminated balamuthia mandrillaris amoeba infection in an aids patient from brazil. | this report describes a 32-year-old male aids patient. he presented with a clinical picture characterized by severe headache, blurred vision, and fever that had lasted for 10 days. at admission, no remarkable neurologic abnormalities were observed. cranial tomography showed a ring-enhanced lesion with edema and a mass effect in the right occipital lobe. the initial diagnosis was toxoplasmosis, and treatment of this was administered. however, 5 days later, the patient's clinical status worsened a ... | 2007 | 18165529 |
| diagnosis of infections caused by pathogenic free-living amoebae. | naegleria fowleri, acanthamoeba spp., balamuthia mandrillaris, and sappinia sp. are pathogenic free-living amoebae. n. fowleri causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rapidly fatal disease of the central nervous system, while acanthamoeba spp. and b. mandrillaris cause chronic granulomatous encephalitis. acanthamoeba spp. also can cause cutaneous lesions and amoebic keratitis, a sight-threatening infection of the cornea that is associated with contact lens use or corneal trauma. sappinia p ... | 2009 | 19657454 |
| isolation of balamuthia mandrillaris from urban dust, free of known infectious involvement. | the free-living amoeba balamuthia mandrillaris can cause fatal encephalitis in humans and other mammals. the organism is associated with soils, and soil exposure has been identified as a risk factor for this pathogen. however, b. mandrillaris has been isolated only once from soils believed to be the source of the infection in child from california, usa who died of balamuthia amoebic encephalitis and once from another unrelated soil source. we report for a third time the isolation of b. mandrilla ... | 2009 | 19685076 |
| the use of high-resolution (1)h nuclear magnetic resonance (nmr) spectroscopy in the clinical diagnosis of acanthamoeba. | acanthamoeba are opportunistic protozoan pathogens that can produce sight-threatening keratitis and fatal granulomatous encephalitis. the successful prognosis requires early diagnosis and differentiation of pathogenic acanthamoeba spp. followed by aggressive treatment regimen. in this study, we tested the use of high-resolution (1)h nmr spectroscopy in the clinical diagnosis of acanthamoeba. using nmr spectroscopy combined with pattern recognition analysis (pra), we analysed variations in the bi ... | 2011 | 21556684 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris: the multiple nuclei of balamuthia amebas; their location, activity, and site of development. | multiple nuclei were first noted in the pseudopodia of balamuthia mandrillaris amebas feeding on mammalian cells. phase microscope observations of live amebas in vitro reveal that while many amebas have a single nucleus, others have multiple nuclear-like structures, now confirmed as nuclei with hematoxylin and feulgen stains. in the live cultures, two nuclei located near the tip of an extended pseudopodium were seen to fuse resulting in one larger morphologic unit. such merging of nuclei has not ... | 2010 | 19857489 |
| neurosurgical intervention in the diagnosis and treatment of balamuthia mandrillaris encephalitis. | the authors describe the unique presentation of balamuthia mandrillaris encephalitis in a kidney donor and two recipients. all three patients suffered acute clinical deterioration, with radiological or clinical evidence of intracranial hypertension. brain autopsy in the donor and an urgent brain biopsy in a recipient established the diagnosis. firsttier therapy, with mannitol and csf drainage, successfully treated the intracranial hypertension in both recipients, while administration of a combin ... | 2011 | 21619411 |
| screening of swiss hot spring resorts for potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae. | free-living amoebae (fla) belonging to acanthamoeba spp., naegleria fowleri, balamuthia mandrillaris, and sappinia pedata are known to cause infections in humans and animals leading to severe brain pathologies. worldwide, warm aquatic environments have been found to be suitable habitats for pathogenic fla. the present study reports on screening for potentially pathogenic fla in four hot spring resorts in switzerland. water samples were taken from water filtration units and from the pools, respec ... | 2010 | 20036656 |
| The public health threat from Balamuthia mandrillaris in the southern United States. | Balamuthia mandrillaris, formerly known as leptomyxid ameba, is an opportunistic, free-living ameba, related to Acanthamoeba that can cause skin lesions and granulomatous amebic encephalitis in individuals with compromised or competent immune systems. In order to make recommendations for early diagnosis, management, and prevention of typically fatal Balamuthia amebic encephalitis (BAE), this review described and analyzed laboratory-confirmed US cases of BAE for any consistent behavioral, demogra ... | 2011 | 21954652 |
| fatal granulomatous amebic encephalitis due to balamuthia mandrillaris in new mexico: a case report. | balamuthia mandrillaris is a free-living amoeba that can cause granulomatous amebic encephalitis (gae). we report a case in an individual with a history of alcohol abuse, cocaine use, and ditch water exposure. this is the first reported case of gae due to b mandrillaris in new mexico. | 2014 | 25734132 |
| isolation and identification of free-living amoebae from tap water in sivas, turkey. | the present work focuses on a local survey of free-living amoebae (fla) that cause opportunistic and nonopportunistic infections in humans. determining the prevalence of fla in water sources can shine a light on the need to prevent fla related illnesses. a total of 150 samples of tap water were collected from six districts of sivas province. the samples were filtered and seeded on nonnutrient agar containing escherichia coli spread. thirty-three (22%) out of 150 samples were found to be positive ... | 2013 | 23971043 |
| disseminated balamuthia mandrillaris infection. | balamuthia mandrillaris is a rare cause of human infection, but when infections do occur, they result in high rates of morbidity and mortality. a case of disseminated balamuthia infection is presented. early diagnosis and initiation of recommended therapy are essential for increased chances of successful outcomes. | 2015 | 26135864 |
| management of granulomatous amebic encephalitis: laboratory diagnosis and treatment. | granulomatous amebic encephalitis is a life-threatening central nervous system (cns) infection caused by the free-living amoebae acanthamoeba spp., balamuthia mandrillaris and sappinia pedata. the disease has a subacute to chronic onset affecting commonly the immunocompromised population with high mortality rate. the diagnosis of this disease entity requires high suspicion with appropriate sample collection and testing by the laboratory experts. radiological investigations are nonspecific and co ... | 2015 | 25709949 |
| in vitro growth, cytopathic effects and clearance of monolayers by clinical isolates of balamuthia mandrillaris in human skin cell cultures. | balamuthia mandrillaris is a free-living ameba (fla) that has been isolated or its dna identified in soil, dust and water. it causes a fatal central nervous system infection in humans and animals. although it is environmental as acanthamoeba and naegleria fowleri, the two other free-living amebae that also cause cns infections in humans and other animals, balamuthia does not feed on bacteria as the other fla. in the laboratory, it can be grown on a variety of mammalian cell cultures. in this stu ... | 2015 | 25980370 |
| atomic force microscopic imaging of acanthamoeba castellanii and balamuthia mandrillaris trophozoites and cysts. | light microscopy and electron microscopy have been successfully used in the study of microbes, as well as free-living protists. unlike light microscopy, which enables us to observe living organisms or the electron microscope which provides a two-dimensional image, atomic force microscopy provides a three-dimensional surface profile. here, we observed two free-living amoebae, acanthamoeba castellanii and balamuthia mandrillaris under the phase contrast inverted microscope, transmission electron m ... | 2015 | 25041405 |
| a proposed cascade of vascular events leading to granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. | granulomatous amoebic encephalitis due to acanthamoeba is a chronic disease that almost always results in death. hematogenous spread is a pre-requisite followed by amoebae invasion of the blood-brain barrier to enter the central nervous system. given the systemic nature of this infection, a significant latent period of several months before the appearance of clinical manifestations is puzzling. based on reported cases, here we propose pathogenetic mechanisms that explain the above described late ... | 2015 | 26276705 |
| acute encephalitis in the immunocompromised individual. | this article describes recent advances in the diagnosis and management of encephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. | 2015 | 26098507 |
| novel culture medium for the axenic growth of balamuthia mandrillaris. | until now, for axenic cultivation of balamuthia mandrillaris, the bm-3 culture medium and the modified chang's special medium have been the only ones recommended, but they have some disadvantages, as both require many components and their preparations are laborious. therefore, we developed a novel culture medium for b. mandrillaris axenic cultivation. each one of the 11 components of bm-3 was combined with cerva's medium as basal culture medium. ten strains of b. mandrillaris including the refer ... | 2015 | 25957459 |
| pathogenesis of amoebic encephalitis: are the amoebae being credited to an 'inside job' done by the host immune response? | pathogenic free living amoeba like naegleria fowleri, acanthamoeba spp., and balamuthia mandrillaris are known to cause fatal "amoebic meningoencephalitis" by acquiring different route of entries to the brain. the host immune response to these protist pathogens differs from each another, as evidenced by the postmortem gross and microscopic findings from the brains of the affected patients. cited with the expression of 'brain eating amoeba' when the infection is caused by n. fowleri, this express ... | 2015 | 25930186 |
| fatal balamuthia mandrillaris meningoencephalitis in the netherlands after travel to the gambia. | | 2015 | 25897644 |
| combined drug therapy in the management of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis due to acanthamoeba spp., and balamuthia mandrillaris. | granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (gae) is caused by two protist pathogens, acanthamoeba spp., and balamuthia mandrillaris. although rare, it almost always results in death. in the present study, amoebae were treated with various combinations of clinically-approved drugs, targeting vital cellular receptors and biochemical pathways. the results revealed that among the seven different combinations tested, three proved highly effective against both acanthamoeba castellanii as well as b. mandrillar ... | 2014 | 24726699 |
| in vitro efficacies of clinically available drugs against growth and viability of an acanthamoeba castellanii keratitis isolate belonging to the t4 genotype. | the effects of clinically available drugs targeting muscarinic cholinergic, adrenergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic receptors; intracellular calcium levels and/or the function of calcium-dependent biochemical pathways; ion channels; and cellular pumps were tested against a keratitis isolate of acanthamoeba castellanii belonging to the t4 genotype. in vitro growth inhibition (amoebistatic) assays were performed by incubating a. castellanii with various concentrations of drugs in the growth med ... | 2013 | 23669391 |
| a balamuthia survivor. | this case report describes a human survivor of balamuthia mandrillaris infection. this is a free-living amoeba that can cause infection with the devastating consequence of near universally fatal encephalitis. we report this case to demonstrate the possibility of recovery. | 2016 | 28348755 |
| targeting brain-eating amoebae infections. | brain infections due to acanthamoeba spp., balamuthia mandrillaris, and naegleria fowleri often lead to death. despite differences in the preferential sites of infection in the brain, the mode of delivery of drugs is often intravenous. here, we discuss targeted therapeutic approach to affect parasite viability without affecting the host cells, with an eye to improve formulation of drugs and/or administration of drugs against brain-eating amoebae. | 2017 | 28225265 |
| [investigation of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae and their in vivo pathogenicity in water supplies of turkey]. | free-living amoebae (fla) are found widely in soil and water in the nature. among them in which potentially pathogenic for humans and animals are known as "potential pathogenic free-living amoebae (ppfla)". ppfla are characterized as the causes of clinical manifestations leading to death especially in immunosuppressed people. four genus of ppfla (acanthamoeba, naegleria, balamuthia and sappinia) are known to be pathogenic to humans. the aims of this study were to investigate the presence of ppfl ... | 2016 | 27525400 |
| transmission of balamuthia mandrillaris by organ transplantation. | during 2009 and 2010, 2 clusters of organ transplant-transmitted balamuthia mandrillaris, a free-living ameba, were detected by recognition of severe unexpected illness in multiple recipients from the same donor. | 2016 | 27358357 |
| balamuthia amebic meningoencephalitis and mycotic aneurysms in an infant. | balamuthia amebic encephalitis is rarely reported in infants. to the best of our knowledge, amebic encephalitis complicated by a mycotic aneurysm was only described once. we report on an 8-month-child with laboratory-confirmed balamuthia mandrillaris meningoencephalitis, complicated by a mycotic aneurysm of the middle cerebral artery. | 2011 | 21723460 |
| Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis caused by Balamuthia mandrillaris in an immunocompetent girl. | OBJECTIVE: Balamuthia mandrillaris is a recently recognized cause of a rare, devastating infection, granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE). Presenting symptoms of GAE are nonspecific and can last for months before becoming clinically significant. Once the infection involves the central nervous system, death often results within days to weeks. A high degree of clinical suspicion is needed to correctly diagnose this infection as definitive diagnostic tests are presently limited and even then the ... | 2011 | 22120559 |
| vannellid species isolated from freshwater source in a park in jamaica, west indies. | free-living amoebae (fla) occupy a wide range of freshwater, marine, and soil habitats, and are opportunistic pathogens in human beings. while acanthamoeba spp., naegleria fowleri, and balamuthia mandrillaris are well-known opportunistic organisms, vannella epipetala is nonpathogenic. sediments were collected from a freshwater source from a park in jamaica to investigate the presence of fla. acanthamoeba and naegleria spp. were not recovered; however, a vannellid species identified by microscopy ... | 2015 | 26512204 |
| emerging trends in free-living amebic infections of the brain: implications for organ transplantation. | this epidemiological review analyzed cases of naegleria fowleri primary amebic meningoencephalitis (pam) and balamuthia mandrillaris granulomatous amebic encephalitis (gae) for behavioral and demographic risk factors for pathogen exposures and potential transmission by organ transplantation. the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) naegleria workgroup registry provided 121 cases of laboratory-confirmed pam over the period, 1937-2007. the cdc and the california encephalitis project pr ... | 2016 | 25073256 |
| presence of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae strains from well water samples in guinea-bissau. | free-living amoebae (fla) include opportunistic pathogens such as naegleria fowleri, balamuthia mandrillaris, and the genera sappinia and acanthamoeba. in this study, a survey was conducted in order to evaluate the presence of potentially pathogenic amoebic strains in water samples collected from wells located in the western part of guinea-bissau. the samples were left to precipitate for 48 hours and then the sediments were seeded on non-nutrient agar plates containing escherichia coli spread an ... | 2014 | 24934796 |
| solid organ transplant donors with central nervous system infection. | while donor-derived infections (ddi) remain uncommon, multiple reports describe ddi with pathogens that cause central nervous system (cns) infection resulting in significant recipient disease. the ad hoc disease transmission advisory committee (dtac) reviewed the records of potential donor-derived disease transmission events (pddte) to describe donor characteristics and outcomes associated with ddi from cns pathogens. | 2014 | 24914569 |
| isolation of balamuthia mandrillaris from soil samples in north-western iran. | balamuthia mandrillaris is an opportunistic free-living amoebae (fla) which has been reported as the causative agent of the fatal balamuthia amoebic encephalitis (bae). currently, the transmission dynamics of this pathogen remain poorly understood although the organism has been associated with soils, and thus, soil exposure has been identified as a risk factor for this pathogenic amoeba. nevertheless, environmental isolation of b. mandrillaris is a rare event and strains of this amoebic species ... | 2016 | 26468147 |
| first draft genome sequence of balamuthia mandrillaris, the causative agent of amoebic encephalitis. | the free-living amoeba balamuthia mandrillaris is a rare but highly lethal agent of amoebic encephalitis in humans and many other mammalian species. here, we announce the first draft genome sequence of the original 1990 isolate cultured from the brain of a deceased mandrill baboon. | 2015 | 26404594 |
| centrofacial balamuthiasis: case report of a rare cutaneous amebic infection. | free-living amebae are ubiquitous in our environment, but rarely cause cutaneous infection. balamuthia mandrillaris has a predilection for infecting skin of the central face. infection may be restricted to the skin or associated with life-threatening central nervous system (cns) involvement. we report a case of a 91-year-old woman, who presented with a non-healing red plaque over her right cheek. several punch biopsies exhibited non-specific granulomatous inflammation without demonstrable fungi ... | 2016 | 27251900 |
| presence of balamuthia mandrillaris in hot springs from mazandaran province, northern iran. | balamuthia mandrillaris is an opportunistic free-living amoeba that has been reported to cause cutaneous lesions and balamuthia amoebic encephalitis. the biology and environmental distribution of b. mandrillaris is still poorly understood and isolation of this pathogen from the environment is a rare event. previous studies have reported that the presence of b. mandrillaris in the environment in iran may be common. however, no clinical cases have been reported so far in this country. in the prese ... | 2016 | 27086943 |
| isolation and identification of acanthamoeba spp. from thermal swimming pools and spas in southern brazil. | free-living amoebae (fla) are widely distributed in soil and water. a few number of them are implicated in human disease: acanthamoeba spp., naegleria fowleri, balamuthia mandrillaris and sappinia diploidea. species of acanthamoeba can cause keratitis and brain infections. in this study, 72 water samples were taken from both hot tubs and thermal swimming pools in the city of porto alegre, rs, brazil, to determine the presence of acanthamoeba in the water as well as perform the phenotypic and gen ... | 2016 | 27078644 |
| isolation and molecular identification of vermamoeba vermiformis strains from soil sources in el hierro island, canary islands, spain. | free-living amoebae (fla) are widely distributed protozoa in the environment and have been isolated from many sources such as dust, soil and water. furthermore, some genera/species of fla such as naegleria fowleri, balamuthia mandrillaris and acanthamoeba spp. are also able to cause opportunistic infections in humans and other animals. more recently, fla have been reported to be environmental carriers of pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses, and thus have gained further importance from the pub ... | 2016 | 27056561 |
| amoebic meningoencephalitis and disseminated infection caused by balamuthia mandrillaris in a western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla). | case description a 22-year-old male gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) housed in a zoo was evaluated for signs of lethargy, head-holding, and cervical stiffness followed by development of neurologic abnormalities including signs of depression, lip droop, and tremors. clinical findings physical examination under general anesthesia revealed a tooth root abscess and suboptimal body condition. a cbc and serum biochemical analysis revealed mild anemia, neutrophilia and eosinopenia consistent with a st ... | 2016 | 26799111 |
| neurologic amebiasis caused by balamuthia mandrillaris in an indian flying fox (pteropus giganteus). | a 4-5-month-old intact male indian flying fox (pteropus giganteus) was presented to the baton rouge zoo's veterinary hospital with an acute onset of obtundation that was diagnosed with amebic encephalitis. histologic examination revealed numerous amebic trophozoites within necrotic foci, affecting the occipital cerebrum and surrounding the mesencephalic aqueduct. the etiologic agent, balamuthia mandrillaris, was determined by multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohist ... | 2016 | 26762405 |
| erratum to: clinical metagenomic identification of balamuthia mandrillaris encephalitis and assembly of the draft genome: the continuing case for reference genome sequencing. | | 2016 | 26750923 |
| acanthamoeba genotypes t3 and t4 as causative agents of amoebic keratitis in mexico. | free-living amoebae (fla) are widely distributed worldwide. some genera included in this group act as opportunistic pathogens causing fatal encephalitis and acanthamoeba keratitis (ak), a sight-threatening infection of the cornea associated with the use of soft contact lenses that could even end in blindness if an early diagnosis and treatment are not achieved. furthermore, the numbers of ak cases keep rising worldwide mainly due to an increase of contact lens wearers and lack of hygiene in the ... | 2016 | 26581373 |
| transmission of balamuthia mandrillaris through solid organ transplantation: utility of organ recipient serology to guide clinical management. | a liver, heart, iliac vessel and two kidneys were recovered from a 39-year-old man who died of traumatic head injury and were transplanted into five recipients. the liver recipient 18 days posttransplantation presented with headache, ataxia and fever, followed by rapid neurologic decline and death. diagnosis of granulomatous amebic encephalitis was made on autopsy. balamuthia mandrillaris infection was confirmed with immunohistochemical and polymerase chain reaction (pcr) assays. donor and recip ... | 2014 | 24840013 |
| assessment of blood-brain barrier penetration of miltefosine used to treat a fatal case of granulomatous amebic encephalitis possibly caused by an unusual balamuthia mandrillaris strain. | balamuthia mandrillaris, a free-living ameba, causes rare but frequently fatal granulomatous amebic encephalitis (gae). few patients have survived after receiving experimental drug combinations, with or without brain lesion excisions. some gae survivors have been treated with a multi-drug regimen including miltefosine, an investigational anti-leishmanial agent with in vitro amebacidal activity. miltefosine dosing for gae has been based on leishmaniasis dosing because no data exist in humans conc ... | 2015 | 26329128 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris: further morphological observations of trophozoites by light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. | additional morphological features of balamuthia mandrillaris observed by light and electron microscopy are reported. trophozoites were extremely pleomorphic: their cell shapes ranged from rounded to elongated and sometimes they appeared exceptionally stretched out and branched. by transmission electron microscopy it was possible to observe two different cytoplasmic areas, the ectoplasm and the endoplasm and often sections of rough endoplasmic reticulum were found in the transition zone. the cyto ... | 2015 | 26297955 |
| diagnosing balamuthia mandrillaris encephalitis with metagenomic deep sequencing. | identification of a particular cause of meningoencephalitis can be challenging owing to the myriad bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites that can produce overlapping clinical phenotypes, frequently delaying diagnosis and therapy. metagenomic deep sequencing (mds) approaches to infectious disease diagnostics are known for their ability to identify unusual or novel viruses and thus are well suited for investigating possible etiologies of meningoencephalitis. | 2015 | 26290222 |
| [fatal encephalitis caused by a parasite]. | encephalitis caused by a free-living amoeba is relatively rare and usually fatal. this is because the diagnosis is often made late and treatment is difficult. | 2015 | 25873217 |
| emergence of balamuthia mandrillaris meningoencephalitis in india. | we report two cases of fatal chronic meningoencephalitis caused by balamuthia mandrillaris in immunocompetent men. diagnosis of amoebic meningoencephalitis was made ante-mortem in one case and postmortem in another by histopathological examination and confirmed by demonstration of b. mandrillaris deoxyribonucleic acid (dna) by polymerase chain reaction (pcr). | 2015 | 25865989 |
| infections with free-living amebae. | acanthamoeba spp., balamuthia mandrillaris, and naegleria fowleri are mitochondria-bearing, free-living eukaryotic amebae that have been known to cause infections of the central nervous system (cns) of humans and other animals. several species of acanthamoeba belonging to several different genotypes cause an insidious and chronic disease, granulomatous amebic encephalitis (gae), principally in immunocompromised hosts including persons infected with hiv/aids. acanthamoeba spp., belonging to mostl ... | 2013 | 23829906 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris: in vitro interactions with selected protozoa and algae. | although balamuthia mandrillaris was identified more than two decades ago as an agent of fatal granulomatous encephalitis in humans and other animals, little is known about its ecological niche, biological behavior in the environment, food preferences and predators, if any. when infecting humans or other animals, balamuthia feeds on tissues; and in vitro culture, it feeds on mammalian cells (monkey kidney cells, human lung fibroblasts, and human microvascular endothelial cells). according to rec ... | 2013 | 23790262 |
| status of free-living amoebae (acanthamoeba spp., naegleria fowleri, balamuthia mandrillaris) in drinking water supplies in karachi, pakistan. | the ability of pathogenic free-living amoebae to produce infections is a growing concern. in this study, we investigated the presence of free-living amoebae (acanthamoeba spp., naegleria fowleri, balamuthia mandrillaris) in drinking water supplies in karachi, pakistan. fifty-two domestic tap water samples were examined. amoebae were identified by morphological characteristics and polymerase chain reaction. thirty percent of the examined samples were positive for acanthamoeba spp., 8% for n. fowl ... | 2013 | 23708583 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris: morphology, biology, and virulence. | balamuthia mandrillaris is a protist pathogen that can cause encephalitis with a fatality rate of >95%. this is due to our incomplete understanding of the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of b. mandrillaris encephalitis. b. mandrillaris has two stages in its life cycle, an active trophozoite stage during which it divides mitotically. however, under unfavorable conditions, the trophozoite transforms into a dormant cyst stage. a major concern during the course of therapy is that b. mandrillaris ca ... | 2017 | 25709948 |
| resistance to intranasal infection with balamuthia mandrillaris amebae is t-cell dependent. | t and b cell-deficient balb/c scid mice become severely ill and die of amebic encephalitis after intranasal infection with balamuthia mandrillaris, while adult immunocompetent balb/c wild-type (wt) mice are resistant. to further investigate the role of lymphocytes in protection from balamuthia amebic encephalitis (bae), scid mice were reconstituted with and wt mice selectively depleted of lymphocytes before infection. reconstitution of scid mice with whole spleen cells from wt mice rendered the ... | 2015 | 25363468 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris therapeutic mud bath in jamaica. | balamuthia mandrillaris is an emerging cause of encephalitis in humans. the transmission dynamics are poorly understood due to the high fatality rate and the sporadic nature of cases. seventy-two soil samples were collected from beaches and the banks of lagoons, rivers, ponds, mineral springs and streams from across jamaica and assayed for the presence of b. mandrillaris. seventy-nine sites were sampled and the mitochondrial 16s rdna gene of b. mandrillaris was amplified and sequenced to confirm ... | 2015 | 25335452 |
| a multisystemic acanthamoeba infection in a dog in tenerife, canary islands, spain. | a 22-month-old male spanish water dog was hospitalized after its physical examination revealed fever and movement difficulty. after 24h, the dog was found to have a high fever (39.5 °c) and was treated empirically with doxycycline/ciprofloxacin. at 48 h, after submission the fever rose to 41 °c and the animal presented with a stiff neck and dehydration. peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (csf) were sampled and trophozoites with an acanthamoeba-like morphology were observed in the csf. pcr ... | 2014 | 25193180 |
| an autopsy case of balamuthia mandrillaris amoebic encephalitis, a rare emerging infectious disease, with a brief review of the cases reported in japan. | balamuthia mandrillaris is an amoeba found in fresh water and soil that causes granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. we report herein an autopsy case of b. mandrillaris amoebic encephalitis, which was definitely diagnosed by pcr. an 81-year-old man, who had sjögren's syndrome, manifested drowsiness 2 months before his death with progressive deterioration. neuroimaging demonstrated foci of t2- and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery high and t1 low-intensity with irregular post-contrast ring enhanc ... | 2015 | 25186798 |
| the isolation of balamuthia mandrillaris from environmental sources from peru. | balamuthia mandrillaris is an opportunistic free-living amoeba that has been reported to cause skin lesions and the fatal balamuthia amoebic encephalitis (bae) in humans and other animals. currently, around 200 human bae cases have been reported worldwide, although this number is considered to be underestimated. the highest number of bae cases has been reported in the american continent, mainly in the southwest of the usa. peru seems to be another hotspot for bae with around 55 human cases havin ... | 2014 | 24781021 |
| isolation of balamuthia mandrillaris-specific antibody fragments from a bacteriophage antibody display library. | balamuthia mandrillaris is a protist pathogen that can cause encephalitis with a mortality rate of more than 95%. early diagnosis followed by aggressive treatment is a pre-requisite for successful prognosis. current methods for identifying this organism rely on culture and microscopy, antibody-based methods using animals, or involve the use of molecular tools that are expensive. here, we describe the isolation of antibody fragments that can be used for the unequivocal identification of b. mandri ... | 2016 | 27055361 |
| detection of balamuthia mandrillaris dna in the storage case of contact lenses in germany. | acanthamoeba spp. are frequently the etiological agents of a severe form of sight-threatening keratitis, called acanthamoeba keratitis. the contact lens storage solution of a patient with keratitis of unknown genesis was screened using our diagnostic tools to detect potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae (fla). culture methods and a triplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qpcr) targeting acanthamoeba spp., naegleria fowleri, and balamuthia mandrillaris were used in context ... | 2016 | 26965426 |
| isolation and molecular characterization of acanthamoeba and balamuthia mandrillaris from combination shower units in costa rica. | free living amoebae (fla) are ubiquitous protozoa, which may behave as parasites under certain conditions. four genera are recognized as causal agents of infections in humans and animals: naegleria, sappinia, acanthamoeba and balamuthia. this work determines the presence of fla in combination shower units and employs molecular biology for the characterization of isolates. the morphological analysis and partial sequencing of the 18s rdna gene revealed the presence of acanthamoeba genotype t4 in 3 ... | 2014 | 25134946 |
| genetic analysis among environmental strains of balamuthia mandrillaris recovered from an artificial lagoon and from soil in sonora, mexico. | since the first report of balamuthia mandrillaris as a causative agent of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis in humans, the environmental niche of this amoeba was assumed to be restricted to soil and dust. a single isolation from water was recently made independently by us from northern mexico. now we report the isolation of 8 new strains of b. mandrillaris from mexico. this continues the pattern of an excess of isolates from north america, compared to other parts of the world. all of the new is ... | 2014 | 25076486 |
| laboratory testing of clinically approved drugs against balamuthia mandrillaris. | balamuthia mandrillaris is a free-living protist pathogen that can cause life-threatening granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. given the lack of effective available drugs against b. mandrillaris encephalitis with a mortality rate of more than 90%, here we screened drugs, targeting vital cellular receptors and biochemical pathways, that are already in approved clinical use for their potential clinical usefulness. amoebicidal assays were performed by incubating b. mandrillaris with drugs (3 × 10(5) ... | 2014 | 24875138 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris in south america: an emerging potential hidden pathogen in perú. | balamuthia mandrillaris is a free living amoeba that can be isolated from soil. it is an emerging pathogen causing skin lesions as well as cns involvement with a fatal outcome if untreated. further, infections can sometimes can also appear in peripheral areas such as extremities (usually knee), or trunk. moreover, it often progresses to an infiltrative lesion that occasionally becomes ulcerated. in countries like peru, a skin lesion will precede other symptoms. this primary cutaneous lesion can ... | 2014 | 24858923 |
| successful treatment of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis with combination antimicrobial therapy. | granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (gae) is a rare but fatal infection. due to its nonspecific symptoms and laboratory and neuroradiological findings, it is rarely diagnosed antemortem. we herein present the case of a 72-year-old japanese woman who was diagnosed with gae following the detection of a pathogen similar to balamuthia mandrillaris under a microscopic examination of cerebrospinal fluid sediment and who achieved remission with combination antimicrobial therapy. there are no previous re ... | 2013 | 23994995 |
| is balamuthia mandrillaris a public health concern worldwide? | balamuthia mandrillaris is an opportunistic, free-living amoeba that can cause skin lesions and the typically fatal balamuthia amoebic encephalitis (bae) both in immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. available data for bae cases indicate that this disease is difficult to detect because knowledge of predisposing factors is lacking, causing a challenge for diagnosing bae. the number of reported bae cases is increasing worldwide, and this is a major concern because little is known abou ... | 2013 | 23988231 |
| investigational drug available directly from cdc for the treatment of infections with free-living amebae. | infections caused by free-living amebae (fla) are severe and life-threatening. these infections include primary amebic meningoencephalitis (pam) caused by naegleria fowleri and granulomatous amebic encephalitis caused by balamuthia mandrillaris and acanthamoeba species. although several drugs have in vitro activity against fla, mortality from these infections remains>90% despite treatment with combinations of drugs. | 2013 | 23965830 |
| the in vitro efficacy of antimicrobial agents against the pathogenic free-living amoeba balamuthia mandrillaris. | 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 ... | 2013 | 23869955 |
| fatal balamuthia amebic encephalitis in a healthy child: a case report with review of survival cases. | balamuthia mandrillaris is one of the 4 amebas in fresh water and soil that cause diseases in humans. granulomatous amebic encephalitis (gae), caused by b. mandrillaris, is a rare but life-threatening condition. a 4-year-old, previously healthy, thai girl presented with progressive headache and ataxia for over a month. neuroimaging studies showed an infiltrative mass at the right cerebellar hemisphere mimicking a malignant cerebellar tumor. the pathological finding after total mass removal revea ... | 2013 | 23864745 |
| killing the dead: chemotherapeutic strategies against free-living cyst-forming protists (acanthamoeba sp. and balamuthia mandrillaris). | the opportunist free-living protists such as acanthamoeba spp. and balamuthia mandrillaris have become a serious threat to human life. as most available drugs target functional aspects of pathogens, the ability of free-living protists to transform into metabolically inactive cyst forms presents a challenge in treatment. it is hoped, that the development of broad spectrum antiprotist agents acting against multiple cyst-forming protists to provide target-directed inhibition will offer a viable dru ... | 2013 | 23346945 |
| granulomatous encephalitis due to balamuthia mandrillaris is not limited to immune-compromised patients. | | 2013 | 22921039 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris amoebic encephalitis: an emerging parasitic infection. | balamuthia mandrillaris is a free living amoeba that can be isolated from soil. it is an emerging pathogen causing skin lesions as well as cns involvement with a fatal outcome if untreated. the infection has been described more commonly in inmunocompetent individuals, mostly males, many children, and with a predilection for population with hispanic background in cases occurring in the united states. except for africa, all continents have reported the disease, although a majority of cases are see ... | 2012 | 22729402 |
| autopsy case of amebic granulomatous meningoencephalitis caused by balamuthia mandrillaris in japan. | balamuthia mandrillaris is a free-living ameba that causes amebic encephalitis. herein, we report an autopsy case of balamuthia encephalitis proven with polymerase chain reaction (pcr) and immunohistochemistry from paraffin-embedded brain biopsy specimens. a 68-year-old japanese male presented at a hospital with progressive right hemiparesis approximately 3 months before his death. an open-brain biopsy specimen showed diffuse meningitis with massive coagulative necrosis. the perivascular spaces ... | 2012 | 22612511 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris encephalitis: survival of a child with severe meningoencephalitis and review of the literature. | balamuthia mandrillaris causes granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, which is frequently fatal. there are few reports of survival in children. a 4-year-old child developed severe meningoencephalitis with multiple intracranial ring-enhancing lesions. empiric therapy was commenced after a biopsy was performed, and the patient had a good clinical response. molecular testing and indirect immunofluorescence later confirmed the diagnosis of balamuthia encephalitis. diagnosis of balamuthia encephalitis i ... | 2014 | 26624913 |
| serologic survey for exposure following fatal balamuthia mandrillaris infection. | granulomatous amebic encephalitis (gae) from balamuthia mandrillaris, a free-living ameba, has a case fatality rate exceeding 90% among recognized cases in the usa. in august 2010, a gae cluster occurred following transplantation of infected organs from a previously healthy landscaper in tucson, az, usa, who died from a suspected stroke. as b. mandrillaris is thought to be transmitted through soil, a serologic survey of landscapers and a comparison group of blood donors in southern arizona was p ... | 2014 | 24458652 |
| balamuthia mandrillaris meningoencephalitis associated with solid organ transplantation--review of cases. | we report the first identified transmission of balamuthia mandrillaris through solid organ transplantation. kidneys were transplanted from a donor with presumptive diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis. shortly after, the recipients developed neurologic symptoms. magnetic resonance imaging of the brain from the donor and both kidney recipients demonstrated multiple ring enhancing lesions with surrounding edema and adjacent leptomeningeal extension. in addition most of the lesions demonstrated sig ... | 2013 | 24421953 |
| in vitro assessment of cytokines interactions with balamuthia mandrillaris using human brain microvascular endothelial cells. | balamuthia amoebic encephalitis (bae) is a life threatening human disease which, always lead to death. amoebae invasion of the bloodstream is considered an important step in bae followed by their haematogenous spread. it is more likely that balamuthia mandrillaris enters into the central nervous system through blood-brain barrier (bbb) sites. the objective of the present study was to determine the impact of cytokines on biological properties of balamuthia in vitro. human brain microvascular endo ... | 2014 | 24374438 |