Acanthamoeba Keratitis and Acanthamoeba Conjunctivitis: A Case Report

Abstract

Acanthamoeba species are vision-threatening agents by causing cornea infections known as Acanthamoeba keratitis. A 5 year-old kid with the complaints of erythema, eyelid edema, inflammation, limitation of eye movements in the right eye, and having no history of wearing contact lenses or trauma, was diagnosed of Acanthamoeba conjunctivitis through laboratory examinations in the Ophthalmology clinic. The visual sharpness of the patient improved after the treatment. A 44 year-old female patient suffering from pain, stinging, irritation, and inability to see in the left eye with the history of wearing contact lenses or trauma was diagnosed of Acanthamoeba keratitis through laboratory examinations. The agent was isolated and identified as "A. castellani" in the Genotype "T2". Examination of the left eye on the 15th day of treatment indicated that all complaints disappeared except for the cataract originated visual loss. However, the first diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis appeared in the literature on a case with no history of wearing contact lenses and trauma it is found to be attention grabbing. We think that Acanthamoeba should not be ignored among microbial agents that cause eye infection with or without trauma and contact lens usage history.

Isolation and molecular characterization of Acanthamoeba spp. from Iraqi patients with Keratitis

“…Nowadays 24 were detected with Acanthamoeba Keratitis genotype T2 (A. castellani) according to PCR and sequence analysis in two cases, one of them is contact lenses wearer and the other with no history of trauma or wearing contact lenses. The most important risk factors for AK promotion are trauma, contact lens wear and contact with contaminated water.…”

Applications of medicinal chemistry for drug discovery against Acanthamoeba infections

“…4 However, Acanthamoeba is also increasingly recognized as an important cause of keratitis in noncontact lens wearers. [28][29][30] GAE is a progressive infection of the CNS, that occurs mostly among the immunocompromised individuals, such as those infected with human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, organ transplant recipients, patients with diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, as well as a few cases in immunocompetent individuals. [31][32][33] Brain-eating amoebae including Naegleria fowleri, Balamuthia mandrillaris, and Acanthamoeba spp.…”

“…The risk factor of AK is associated with contact lens usage and poor lens hygiene 4 . However, Acanthamoeba is also increasingly recognized as an important cause of keratitis in noncontact lens wearers 28–30 …”