Fatal granulomatous amebic encephalitis initially presenting with a cutaneous lesion

Prudence E Gramp; John Dooley; Blake O'Brien; Andrew Jones; Leong Tan; Jennifer Robson; Thomas Robertson; Peter Simos; Robert Fuller; Dallas V Gramp; Ella M Meumann

doi:10.1111/ajd.14068

Fatal granulomatous amebic encephalitis initially presenting with a cutaneous lesion

Australas J Dermatol. 2023 Aug;64(3):e256-e261. doi: 10.1111/ajd.14068. Epub 2023 May 8.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Dermatology Department, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
² NH Diagnostics, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
³ Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
⁴ Infectious Disease Department, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
⁵ Neurosurgery Department, Pindara Hospital, Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia.
⁶ Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
⁷ Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

PMID: 37154242
DOI: 10.1111/ajd.14068

Abstract

We present a case of a 66-year-old man with a cutaneous Balamuthia mandrillaris lesion that progressed to fatal granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. We provide a summary of Australian cases and describe the clinical features and approach to diagnosing this rare but devastating condition, including the importance of PCR for diagnosis.

Keywords: Balamuthia mandrillaris; Amebiasis; Balamuthia mandrillaris CNS infection; amebic; infectious encephalitis; meningoencephalitis.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Amebiasis* / diagnosis
Antiprotozoal Agents / therapeutic use
Balamuthia mandrillaris*
Biopsy
Fatal Outcome
Fluconazole / therapeutic use
Humans
Infectious Encephalitis* / diagnosis
Male
Skin / pathology

Substances

Antiprotozoal Agents
Fluconazole
miltefosine