Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
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A Fatal Case of Naegleria fowleri Meningoencephalitis in Taiwan

  • Su, Mei-Yu (Clinical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung) ;
  • Lee, Ming-Shih (Clinical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung) ;
  • Shyu, Ling-Yuh (Department of Parasitology, Chung Shan Medical University) ;
  • Lin, Wei-Chen (Center for Research and Diagnostics, Centers for Disease Control) ;
  • Hsiao, Pei-Ching (Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital) ;
  • Wang, Chi-Ping (Clinical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung) ;
  • Ji, Dar-Der (Center for Research and Diagnostics, Centers for Disease Control) ;
  • Chen, Ke-Min (Department of Parasitology, Chung Shan Medical University) ;
  • Lai, Shih-Chan (Department of Parasitology, Chung Shan Medical University)
  • Received : 2012.06.19
  • Accepted : 2012.07.26
  • Published : 2013.04.30
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Abstract

After bathing at a hot spring resort, a 75-year-old man presented to the emergency department because of seizure-like attack with loss of conscious. This is the first case of primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) caused by Naegleria fowleri in Taiwan. PAM was diagnosed based on detection of actively motile trophozoites in cerebrospinal fluid using a wet-mount smear and the Liu's stain. The amoebae were further confirmed by PCR and gene sequencing. In spite of administering amphotericin B treatment, the patient died 25 days later.

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References

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