Disseminated <i><scp>A</scp>canthamoeba</i> infection in a heart transplant recipient treated successfully with a miltefosine‐containing regimen: Case report and review of the literature

Brondfield, Max N.; Reid, Michael; Rutishauser, Rachel L.; Cope, Jennifer R.; Tang, Jevon; Ritter, Jana M.; Matanock, Almea; Ali, Ibne Karim M.; Doernberg, Sarah B; Hilts‐Horeczko, Alexandra; DeMarco, Teresa; Klein, Liviu; Babik, Jennifer M.

doi:10.1111/tid.12661

Cited by 32 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 28 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…and the result of organ transplantation were also reported. 19,20 GAE is a chronic or subacute disease that causes headaches, fever, fatigue, as well as spasms and limb paresis 1 (Table 1). Recent reports indicated a relationship between GAE and cognitive dysfunction (Table 1) similar to cases of encephalomyelitis caused by archaea.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathogenic free‐living amoebic encephalitis in Japan

2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Over 600 cases of amoebic encephalitis caused by pathogenic free-living amoebas (Balamuthia mandrillaris, Acanthamoeba spp., and Naegleria fowleri) have been reported worldwide, and in Japan, 24 cases have been reported from the first case in 1976 up to 2018. Among these cases, 18 were caused by B. mandrillaris, four by Acanthamoeba spp., one by N. fowleri, and one was of unknown etiology. Additionally, eight cases were diagnosed with encephalitis due to pathogenic free-living amoebas before death, but only three cases were successfully treated. Unfortunately, all other cases were diagnosed by autopsy. These facts indicate that an adequate diagnosis is difficult, because encephalitis due to pathogenic free-living amoebas does not show typical symptoms or laboratory findings. Moreover, because the number of cases is limited, other cases might have been missed outside of those diagnosed by autopsy. Cases of encephalitis caused by B. mandrillaris have been reported from all over Japan, with B. mandrillaris recently isolated from soil in Aomori prefecture. Therefore, encephalitis caused by pathogenic free-living amoebas should be added to the differential diagnosis of encephalitis patients.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathogenic free‐living amoebic encephalitis in Japan

2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Literature presents three cases of cardiovascular patients with acanthamoebiasis [6,36,37], although no parasite forms have been found in cardiac muscle cells [37]. Also, in this study no trophozoites or cysts were found in myocardial histological preparations from Acanthamoeba spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 46%

“…trophozoites enter into the tissue or organs and induce granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE), Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) or disseminated acanthamoebiasis [3,4]. Disseminated acanthamoebiasis is predominantly con rmed post-mortem by histopathological examination of the organs and/or re-isolation of amoebae from tissue fragments [5] because biochemical and hematological tests are di cult to interpret; blood parameters may be elevated, lower or not deviating from the norm [6]. In our earlier study concerning hematological and biochemical pro les in the blood of experimentally Acanthamoeba spp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in the Kidneys and Heart of Mice Infected with Acanthamoeba Spp.

Kot

Kosik-Bogacka

Wojtkowiak-Giera

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Acanthamoeba spp. are cosmopolitan protozoa that cause infections in the brain, as well as extracerebral infections in the cornea, lungs and skin. Little is known about the mechanisms of the immunological response to these parasites in organs which are not their main biotope. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in the kidneys and heart of Acanthamoeba spp. infected mice, with respect to the host’s immunological status. Results: In the kidneys, we observed a higher expression of TLR2 in immunosuppressed mice at 24 days post Acanthamoeba spp. infection (dpi) compared to the uninfected mice. There were no statistically significant differences in TLR4 expression in the kidneys between the immunocompetent and immunosuppressed mice, both of infected and uninfected mice. In the heart, we observed a difference in TLR2 expression in immunocompetent mice at 24 dpi compared to immunocompetent mice at 8 dpi. The immunocompetent Acanthamoeba spp. infected mice had higher TLR4 expression at 8 dpi compared to the immunocompetent uninfected mice. Conclusions: Our results indicate that TLR2 is involved in response to Acanthamoeba spp. infection in the kidneys, whereas in the heart, both studied TLRs are involved.

show abstract

“…The current literature presents three cases of cardiovascular patients with acanthamoebiasis [ 6 , 36 , 37 ], although no parasite forms have been found in cardiac muscle cells [ 37 ]. Also, in this study no trophozoites or cysts were found in myocardial histological preparations from Acanthamoeba spp.-infected mice, despite the fact that developmental forms of Acanthamoeba spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…trophozoites enter into the tissue or organs and induce granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE), Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) or disseminated acanthamoebiasis [ 3 , 4 ]. Disseminated acanthamoebiasis is predominantly confirmed post-mortem by histopathological examination of the organs and/or re-isolation of amoebae from tissue fragments because biochemical and hematological tests are difficult to interpret; blood parameters may be elevated, lower or not deviating from the norm [ 5 , 6 ]. In our earlier study concerning hematological and biochemical profiles in the blood of experimentally Acanthamoeba spp.-infected mice, we found only higher level of lymphocytes, monocytes, thrombocytes and aspartate aminotransferase [ 7 , 8 ], despite the re-isolation of these amoebae from the brain, eyeball, lungs, kidneys, and spleen of the mice [ 7 – 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in the kidneys and heart of mice infected with Acanthamoeba spp.

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Acanthamoeba spp. are cosmopolitan protozoans that cause infections in the brain, as well as extracerebral infections in the cornea, lungs and skin. Little is known about the mechanisms of the immunological response to these parasites in organs which are not their main biotope. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in the kidneys and heart of Acanthamoeba spp.-infected mice, with respect to the host’s immunological status. Methods The mice were grouped into four groups: immunocompetent control mice; immunosuppressed control mice; immunocompetent Acanthamoeba spp.-infected mice; and immunosuppressed Acanthamoeba spp. infected mice. In the study, we used the amoebae T16 genotype which was isolated from a patient. The TLRs expressions in the kidneys and heart of mice were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Moreover, we visualized TLR2 and TLR4 proteins in the organs by immunohistochemical staining. Results In the kidneys, we observed a higher TLR2 expression in immunosuppressed mice at 24 days post-Acanthamoeba spp. infection (dpi) compared to the uninfected mice. There were no statistically significant differences in TLR4 expression in the kidneys between the immunocompetent and immunosuppressed mice, both of infected and uninfected mice. In the heart, we observed a difference in TLR2 expression in immunocompetent mice at 24 dpi compared to immunocompetent mice at 8 dpi. The immunocompetent Acanthamoeba spp.-infected mice had higher TLR4 expression at 8 dpi compared to the immunocompetent uninfected mice. Conclusions Our results indicate that TLR2 is involved in response to Acanthamoeba spp. infection in the kidneys, whereas in the heart, both studied TLRs are involved.

show abstract

Disseminated Acanthamoeba infection in a heart transplant recipient treated successfully with a miltefosine‐containing regimen: Case report and review of the literature

Cited by 32 publications

References 28 publications

Pathogenic free‐living amoebic encephalitis in Japan

Pathogenic free‐living amoebic encephalitis in Japan

The Expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in the Kidneys and Heart of Mice Infected with Acanthamoeba Spp.

The expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in the kidneys and heart of mice infected with Acanthamoeba spp.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About