Successful Treatment of Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis with Combination Antimicrobial Therapy

Hideki Kato; Shigehisa Mitake; Hiroyuki Yuasa; Shigemasa Hayashi; Tatsuru Hara; Noriyuki Matsukawa

doi:10.2169/internalmedicine.52.0299

CASE REPORTS

Successful Treatment of Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis with Combination Antimicrobial Therapy

Hideki Kato, Shigehisa Mitake, Hiroyuki Yuasa, Shigemasa Hayashi, Tatsuru Hara, Noriyuki Matsukawa

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Keywords: granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE), antimicrobial therapy, free-living amoebae, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS

2013 Volume 52 Issue 17 Pages 1977-1981

DOI https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.52.0299

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Abstract

Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) is a rare but fatal infection. Due to its nonspecific symptoms and laboratory and neuroradiological findings, it is rarely diagnosed antemortem. We herein present the case of a 72-year-old Japanese woman who was diagnosed with GAE following the detection of a pathogen similar to Balamuthia mandrillaris under a microscopic examination of cerebrospinal fluid sediment and who achieved remission with combination antimicrobial therapy. There are no previous reports of pathogens similar to B. mandrillaris being detected in cerebrospinal fluid antemortem; therefore, this case may be used as a benchmark for further studies.

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