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Balamuthia Mandrillaris Amoebic Encephalitis: An Emerging Parasitic Infection

  • Central Nervous System and Eye Infections (KC Bloch, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

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 seen in North and South America. In published reported cases from North America, most patients will debut with neurological symptoms, where as in countries like Peru, a skin lesion will precede other symptoms. The classical skin lesion is a plaque, mostly located on face or knee. Diagnosis requires a high level of suspicion. Therapeutic strategies require a multidrug approach, than includes at least one amebicidal drug, and prolonged periods of treatment.

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Acknowledgments

The authors want to recognize the joined effort of specialists from dermatology, infectious disease, neurology, pediatrics, pathology and microbiology departments at the IMTAvH and the Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia in caring for the patients with BMAI. It is a cooperative work among all these specialties what has allow us to reach the current level of knowledge about this disease. We also want to thank Dr. Dalila Martinez for keeping the register of patients at our institution.

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No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Medcina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru

    Francisco G. Bravo & Carlos Seas

  2. Department of Pathology, Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia, Av. Honorio Delgado 430, Lima 31, Peru

    Francisco G. Bravo

  3. Department of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia, Av. Honorio Delgado 430, Lima 31, Peru

    Carlos Seas

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  1. Francisco G. Bravo
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Correspondence to Francisco G. Bravo.

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Bravo, F.G., Seas, C. Balamuthia Mandrillaris Amoebic Encephalitis: An Emerging Parasitic Infection. Curr Infect Dis Rep 14, 391–396 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11908-012-0266-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11908-012-0266-4

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