Turkish Neurosurgery 2009 , Vol 19 , Num 3
A Rare But Fatal Case of Granulomatous Amebic Encephalitis with Brain Abscess: The First Case Reported from Turkey
Feyzi Birol SARICA, Kadir TUFAN, Melih ÇEKİNMEZ, Bülent ERDOĞAN, Mehmet Nur ALTINÖRS
Başkent University, School of Medicine, Neurosurgery Department, Ankara, Turkey The incidence of protozoal and helminthic infestations of the central nervous system (CNS) is less than 1%, but these infestations tend to follow a fatal course. They are more common among children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. CNS infections due to Entamoeba histolytica have been known for a long time. In recent years, especially in developing countries, there has been an increase in CNS infections due to free-living amebas (FLAs). Acute CNS infection due to Naegleria fowleri, which ends in death within 2-7 days, is termed primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM); subacute or chronic CNS infections due to Acanthamoeba spp, Balamuthia mandrillaris, and Sappinia diploidea, which occasionally cause cerebral abscess, are termed granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE). This paper presents a case of GAE with abscess formation in a 75-year-old male patient. Keywords : Brain abscess, Granulomatous amebic encephalitis, Treatment
Corresponding author : Feyzi Birol Sarıca, saricafb@gmail.com