Background: An 80-year-old man presented with subacute mental status change, dizziness, and left-sided vision loss. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a ring-enhancing right parietooccipital lesion.
Observations: Biopsy and laboratory testing demonstrated an amoebic Balamuthia mandrillaris infection. Fewer than 200 cases of this infection have been recognized in the United States, and no standardized treatment regimen currently exists.
Lessons: Rapid antimicrobial therapy with miltefosine, azithromycin, fluconazole, flucytosine, sulfadiazine, and albendazole was initiated. The pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of this infection and the patient's course were reviewed. The importance of biopsy for pathologic and laboratory diagnosis and rapid treatment initiation with a multidisciplinary team was reinforced.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9379710 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3171/CASE2268 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
A Balamuthia amoebic encephalitis survivor in China, and literature review.
Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis
January 2025
Department of pathology, Afficiated Hospital of Hebei University, Hebei, Baoding, 071000, China.. Electronic address:
Balamuthia amoebic encephalitis (BAE) is a rare, fatal parasitic infection of the central nervous system, with a current mortality rate above 95%. The high fatality rate is largely attributed to atypical clinicopathological features, delayed diagnosis, and the absence of effective treatment methods, so quick recognition of this disease is vital. In this paper, we present a survivor of BAE, who was confirmed through histologic examination and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of brain lesions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmoebae: beyond pathogens- exploring their benefits and future potential.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol
January 2025
Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, School of Biological Sciences, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI), Kolkata, India.
Amoebae, fascinatingly diverse protists, showcase a dual nature that positions them as both friends and foes in our world. These organisms, defined by their distinctive pseudopodia, span a spectrum from harmful to helpful. On the darker side, species like pose serious health risks, causing intestinal and liver diseases, while the infamous "brain-eating" leads to fatal primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), with a daunting 97% mortality rate.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFYield of clinical metagenomics: insights from real-world practice for tissue infections.
EBioMedicine
January 2025
Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, PR China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Clinical in Vitro Diagnostic Techniques, Hangzhou, 310003, PR China; Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, PR China. Electronic address:
Background: While metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has been acknowledged as a valuable diagnostic tool for infections, its clinical validity and impact on patient management when using fresh tissue samples remains uncertain.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study involving patients who underwent tissue mNGS at a tertiary hospital in China from February 2021 to February 2024, aiming to assess its ability to detect plausible pathogens and its clinical validity and impact.
Findings: A total of 520 mNGS results from 508 patients were analysed, detecting plausible pathogens in 302 (58.
Central Nervous System Vasculitis in an Immunocompetent Child: Case Report.
J Child Neurol
December 2024
Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
granulomatous amebic encephalitis is a rare disease that is associated with a high rate of mortality. Delays in diagnosis and treatment are common because of limited information on the organism in addition to its nonspecific clinical presentation. Prior reports have demonstrated that the encephalitis presents as multifocal lesions throughout the central nervous system with enhancement and edema.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF[Balamuthia mandrillaris amebic encephalitis: report of a case].
Zhonghua Bing Li Xue Za Zhi
December 2024
Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding071000, China.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!