Risks & Threats Comes with Global Warming: Pathogenic Free Living Amoeba

Year 2015, Volume: 1 Issue: 2, 13 - 20, 30.08.2015

Nihal Dogan

https://doi.org/10.19127/mbsjohs.94837

Abstract

Free living amoebae like Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia and Sappinia are known appearing opportunistic and also fatal protozoa in humans and other animals. They are widely distributed in soil and water in the world. They cause “Primer Amoebic Meningoencephalitis” the host immune response to these protist pathogens differs from each other to evidence by the postmortem laboratory findings from the affected patients. This review was performed with a search in Medline, PubMed, Science Direct, Ovid, and Scopus literatures by the search terms of “pathogenic free-living amoeba infections”.   Analysis of a detailed review and literature shown that Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia and also Sappinia sp. infections are causing extensive brain damage to the host immune response. In human infection due to related to brain, skin, lung and eyes have increased significantly during the last years.  They have different effects on epidemiology, immunology, pathology, and clinical features of the infections produced. This particular review planned to raise awareness about free-living amoeba, which found in a patient who applied to ESOGU Hospital Neurology Clinic because of suddenly unconsciousness and coma and diagnosed with Naegleria fowleri. Clinicians should be aware of PAM infections and include in differential diagnosis of meningoencephalitis. PAM should be suspected in young adults and children with acute neurological symptoms as described below and recent exposure to fresh water. Preventive and control measures include public health education and awareness among medical practitioners and adequate control of public water supplies.

Keywords

free-living amoebae, Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia, Sappinia

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