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Diagnostic challenges in Balamuthia mandrillaris infections

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Abstract

Balamuthia mandrillaris is an emerging cause of subacute granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE). The diagnosis of this infection has proven to be difficult and is usually made postmortem. Early recognition and treatment may offer some benefit. This report describes a previously healthy woman who died from GAE due to B. mandrillaris.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Gary P. Wormser, MD for reviewing this manuscript and for the expert technical help by R. Sriram.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, New York Medical College, Munger Pavilion, Room 245, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA

    Stephen A. Lobo & Marc Y. El Khoury

  2. Department of Neurology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA

    Kiran Patil & Stephen Marks

  3. Department of Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA

    Shilpa Jain, Alex Braun & Guiqing Wang

  4. Department of Radiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA

    Michael Tenner

  5. Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Govinda S. Visvesvara

Authors
  1. Stephen A. Lobo
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  2. Kiran Patil
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  3. Shilpa Jain
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  4. Stephen Marks
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  5. Govinda S. Visvesvara
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  6. Michael Tenner
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  7. Alex Braun
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  8. Guiqing Wang
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  9. Marc Y. El Khoury
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marc Y. El Khoury.

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Lobo, S.A., Patil, K., Jain, S. et al. Diagnostic challenges in Balamuthia mandrillaris infections. Parasitol Res 112, 4015–4019 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3592-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3592-z

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