Status of the diagnosis of Amebic Keratitis in Paraguay

Abstract

Free-living amoeba (FLA) exist widely distributed in nature, where the genus Acanthamoeba is the most isolated in various soil, air and water environments and has been associated with diseases in humans. Its ability to live in adverse environments is due to the low demand for food it has and that in its biological cycle has a cyst-shaped stage, which makes it very resistant. Man becoming his host, can cause infections in the central nervous system, disseminated infections in the skin and lungs, and keratitis, becoming a very important etiological agent of human pathologies. This review addresses characteristics that are known from Acanthamoeba spp., such as its biology, pathogenesis and human defense mechanisms against A c a n t h a m o e b a i n f e c t i o n ; I n a d d i t i o n , t h e microbiological and molecular diagnosis, which is a tool that has improved with the advancement of technology and are essential for timely identification and thus achieve a good clinical and therapeutic intervention. Finally, we present the current situation in Paraguay regarding the few existing clinical reports and the diagnostic methods available.