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- Title
Balamuthia Amebic Encephalitis-- California, 1999-2007.
- Authors
Glaser, C.; Schuster, F.; Yagi, S.; Gavali, S.; Bollen, A.; Raghavan, R.; Michelson, D.; Blomquist, I.; Scharnhorst, D.; Kuriyama, S.; Reed, S.; Ginsberg, M.; Visvesvara, G.; Wilkins, P.; Anderson, L.; Khetsuriani, N.; Fowlkes, A. L.
- Abstract
The article discusses a report by the California Encephalitis Project (CEP) which examines balamuthia encephalitis cases between 1999-2007. Balamuthia mandrillaris is a free-living ameba transmitted by inhalation or contamination of a skin lesion. Balamuthiasis has high mortality due to lack of recognition and subsequent delay in diagnosis. Ten of 500 patient specimens from patients referred to CEP were identified as Balamuthia encephalitis. Nine of the 10 patients died. Potential risk factors are addressed including preexisting medical conditions such as diabetes and status post splenectomy and exposure to soil.
- Subjects
ENCEPHALITIS; AMOEBA; BRAIN diseases; AIRBORNE infection; IMMUNOSUPPRESSION; SOIL microbiology
- Publication
JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association, 2008, Vol 300, Issue 21, p2477
- ISSN
0098-7484
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1001/jama.300.21.2477