Acanthamoeba is an opportunistic protozoan that is widely distributed in the environment. The organism has two stages in its life cycle, an active trophozoite stage during which
Acanthamoeba reproduces, and a dormant cyst stage during which it remains inactive with little metabolic activity, but viable, for years.
During the last few decades,
Acanthamoeba has become increasingly appreciated as an important microbe and now is well-recognized to produce serious human infections, including a vision-threatening keratitis (called
Acanthamoeba keratitis) and a rare but fatal encephalitis, known as granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. Initially the term "granulomatous amoebic encephalitis" was coined specifically to describe brain infection due to
Acanthamoeba. However, with the discovery of a number of amoebae that can produce granulomatous encephalitis, including
Acanthamoeba,
Balamuthia mandrillaris,
Sappinia diploidea, and perhaps other unidentified amoebae, it is necessary to differentiate the disease according to its causative agent.
- Acanthamoeba: Biology and Pathogenesis
- Microbiology books
Labels: brief notes