Amebic brain infection: primary amebic meningoencephalitis

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Primary amebic meningoencephalitis is a rare, usually fatal infection of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) caused by Naegleria fowleri, a type of free-living ameba.

• The amebas can enter the brain through the nose when people swim in contaminated warm, fresh water.
• Primary amebic meningoencephalitis can progress rapidly from changes in smell or taste, headaches, a stiff neck, nausea, and vomiting to confusion and death.
• To check for amebas, doctors do a spinal tap to obtain a sample of cerebrospinal fluid and sometimes remove a small piece of brain tissue (biopsy), then examine and analyse the sample obtained.
• Determining the best treatment is difficult, but doctors typically use a combination of drugs including miltefosine.

(See also Overview of Parasitic Infections.)

Free-living amebas are protozoa that live in soil or water and do not need to live in people or animals. Although they rarely cause human infection, certain types of these amebas can cause serious, life-threatening diseases.

Naegleria fowleri, also known as a