Hsien Lee Lau1, Daniela F De Lima Corvino2, Francisco M Guerra2, Amer M Malik1, Paola N Lichtenberger1, Sakir H Gultekin3, Jana M Ritter4, Shantanu Roy5, Ibne Karim M Ali5, Jennifer R Cope5, M Judith D Post6, Jose A Gonzales Zamora2. 1. Departments of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA. 2. Infectious Disease, Miller School of Medicine University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA. 3. Pathology, Miller School of Medicine University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA. 4. Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. 5. Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. 6. Pathology and Radiology, Miller School of Medicine University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Acanthamoeba spp. is a ubiquitous free-living amoeba that causes human infections affecting predominantly the cornea and central nervous system. The diagnosis and treatment of Acanthamoeba encephalitis is very challenging. CASE SUMMARY: A 53-year-old male with HIV/AIDS was admitted for altered mental status and fever. On initial examination, he had left hemianopia with left-sided weakness and numbness. MRI revealed an inflammatory and enhancing parenchymal mass associated with leptomeningeal enhancement in the occipitoparietal lobe containing multiple punctate hemorrhages. He was treated with empiric antibiotics for presumptive toxoplasmosis, brain abscess, fungal infection and tuberculosis with an unremarkable lymphoma work up. Initial brain biopsy studies were unremarkable except for non-specific granulomas and adjacent necrotic tissue. The patient passed away 2.5 months after initial presentation with no diagnosis. Post-mortem testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the diagnosis of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) by visualization with immunohistochemistry staining and PCR. Recovery is rare from GAE likely due to delay in diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates the importance of including GAE into the differential diagnosis of brain mass. We advocate early molecular testing of tissue specimen by the CDC to achieve an appropriate diagnosis, and a multidisciplinary approach for the management of this condition.
INTRODUCTION: Acanthamoeba spp. is a ubiquitous free-living amoeba that causes human infections affecting predominantly the cornea and central nervous system. The diagnosis and treatment of Acanthamoeba encephalitis is very challenging. CASE SUMMARY: A 53-year-old male with HIV/AIDS was admitted for altered mental status and fever. On initial examination, he had left hemianopia with left-sided weakness and numbness. MRI revealed an inflammatory and enhancing parenchymal mass associated with leptomeningeal enhancement in the occipitoparietal lobe containing multiple punctate hemorrhages. He was treated with empiric antibiotics for presumptive toxoplasmosis, brain abscess, fungal infection and tuberculosis with an unremarkable lymphoma work up. Initial brain biopsy studies were unremarkable except for non-specific granulomas and adjacent necrotic tissue. The patient passed away 2.5 months after initial presentation with no diagnosis. Post-mortem testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the diagnosis of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) by visualization with immunohistochemistry staining and PCR. Recovery is rare from GAE likely due to delay in diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates the importance of including GAE into the differential diagnosis of brain mass. We advocate early molecular testing of tissue specimen by the CDC to achieve an appropriate diagnosis, and a multidisciplinary approach for the management of this condition.
Authors: Marina da Silva Ferreira; Susana Ruiz Mendoza; Diego de Souza Gonçalves; Claudia Rodríguez-de la Noval; Leandro Honorato; Leonardo Nimrichter; Luís Felipe Costa Ramos; Fábio C S Nogueira; Gilberto B Domont; José Mauro Peralta; Allan J Guimarães Journal: Front Cell Infect Microbiol Date: 2022-05-31 Impact factor: 6.073
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