Acute And Almost Invariably Fatal

Encephalitis

Naegleria Fowleri. Three genera of free-living amebas, Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, and B mandrillaris are known to infect humans. Naegleria fowleri causes an acute and almost invariably fatal encephalitis, which, fortunately, is rare. Several species of Acanthamoeba and B mandrillaris can cause lung and skin infections, as well as an insidious encephalitis, in immunocompromised patients.In addition, Acanthamoeba may cause an ulcerative keratitis, which is usually associated with improper sterilization of soft contact lenses. These amebas live freely in soil and in fresh and coastal waters. The resistant cysts can be transported in dust.

Brain Eating Amoeba:

Naegleria fowleri or the brain eating amoeba is found in most lakes, hot springs, and even dirty swimming pools. The amoeba enters best when swimmers wade in shallow waters and kick up the bottom. That waters gets up thier nose and eats through till in the brain. This amoeba loves the heat which makes the human brain a perfect home, the warmer the environment the better it does. When in the waters it feeds on bacteria and algae in the sediment.

Environments:

its a free-living excavate form of protist typically found in warm bodies of fresh water, such as ponds, lakes, rivers, and hot springs. It is also found in soil, near warm water discharges of industrial plants, and minimally chlorinated swimming pools (there is no evidence of this organism living in ocean water) in an amoeboid or temporary flagellate stage.

Infection:

Infection with Naegleria occurs when the ameba enters the body through the nose. Generally this occurs when people are participating in water-related activities such as swimming underwater, diving, or other water sports that result in water going up the nose. The ameba then travels to the brain and spinal cord where it destroys the brain tissue. Infection with Naegleria is called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis or PAM.

Symptoms:

Onset symptoms of infection start 1 to 14 days after exposure. The initial symptoms include, but are not limited to changes in taste and smell, also headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and stiff neck. Secondary symptoms include confusion, hallucinations, lack of attention, ataxia, and seizures. After the start of symptoms, the disease progresses rapidly 3 to 7 days, with death occurring from 7 to 14 days.

Clinical Manifestation:

Acanthamoeba species and Balamuthia mandrillaris usually act as opportunistic pathogens in immunocompromised or debilitated individuals in whom they cause pneumonitis or dermal ulcerations. From these lesions the amebas may spread to the brain to cause an insidious, slowly progressive, and usually fatal encephalitis called granulomatous amebic encephalitis. In healthy individuals, Acanthamoeba spp can cause an ulcerating keratitis, which is often associated with the use of improperly sterilized contact lenses.

Immunoassays and antibodies:

Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba widely distributed in soil and water, is the causative agent of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a human fatal disease.The N.fowleri species has been isolated from swimming pools, freshwater lakes, thermal springs, freshwater habitats, polluted waters.Therefore, on a public health point of view, it is important to identify aeras containing N.fowleri.Specific methods are required, due to the large homology existing between N.fowleri and other non pathogenic forms of Naegleria.

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