Abstract
Background:
A 12-year-old female western lowland gorilla died in a zoological garden in Germany after exhibiting general neurological signs.
Methods:
Balamuthia mandrillaris was identified as causative agent by indirect immunofluorescent staining of brain sections and confirmed by PCR and respective sequencing.
Results:
The animal suffered from a chronic progressive necrotizing amebic meningoencephalitis.
Conclusion:
This is the first case of Balamuthia amebic encephalitis in Germany.
© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
MeSH terms
-
Amebiasis / diagnosis
-
Amebiasis / mortality
-
Amebiasis / parasitology
-
Amebiasis / veterinary*
-
Animals
-
Ape Diseases / mortality
-
Ape Diseases / parasitology*
-
Balamuthia mandrillaris / isolation & purification*
-
Brain / parasitology
-
Brain / pathology*
-
Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections / diagnosis
-
Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections / mortality
-
Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections / parasitology
-
Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections / veterinary*
-
Fatal Outcome
-
Female
-
Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / veterinary
-
Germany
-
Gorilla gorilla / parasitology*
-
Microscopy, Fluorescence / veterinary
-
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / analysis