scholarly journals Fatal Granulomatous Amebic Encephalitis Due to Balamuthia mandrillaris in New Mexico: A Case Report

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Talia N. Pindyck ◽  
Lauren E. Dvorscak ◽  
Blaine L. Hart ◽  
Michael D. Palestine ◽  
Joel E. Gallant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Report ◽  
New Mexico ◽  
Alcohol Abuse ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Cocaine Use ◽  
Balamuthia Mandrillaris ◽  
Water Exposure ◽  
Free Living Amoeba ◽  
History Of ◽  
Amebic Encephalitis

Abstract Balamuthia mandrillaris is a free-living amoeba that can cause granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE). We report a case in an individual with a history of alcohol abuse, cocaine use, and ditch water exposure. This is the first reported case of GAE due to B mandrillaris in New Mexico.

Encephalitis due to a free-living amoeba (Balamuthia mandrillaris): Case report with literature review

2000 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 611-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inderjit Deol ◽  
Laura Robledo ◽  
Armando Meza ◽  
Govinda S Visvesvara ◽  
Russell J Andrews
Keyword(s):  
Case Report ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Balamuthia Mandrillaris ◽  
Free Living Amoeba

Balamuthia mandrillaris: A Rare Free-Living Amoeba

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Chan ◽  
Mirella Mircescu ◽  
Pratik Shah ◽  
Andrew Liguori ◽  
Aaron Shmookler
Keyword(s):  
Free Living ◽  
Balamuthia Mandrillaris ◽  
Free Living Amoeba

Nalmefene as an intermittent treatment for alcohol abuse triggering cocaine and sex consumption

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S309-S309 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Morera-Fumero ◽  
E. Diaz-Mesa
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Abuse ◽  
Previous History ◽  
Intermittent Treatment ◽  
Motivational System ◽  
Cocaine Use ◽  
Consumption Reduction ◽  
History Of ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Control Loss

Nalmefene modulates the motivational system by blocking the opioids receptors. Nalmefene indication is the alcohol consumption reduction in alcoho dependent patients. We describe the case of a patient with weekend alcohol abuse that was followed by cocaine use and sex. After being treated with nalmefene, the patient decreased alcohol consumption and did not engage cocaine use and sex. The patient is a 36-year-old man with a previous history of cocaine, cannabis and alcohol abuse. After detoxification the patient became a weekend drinker. Two months later he started complaining that after drinking he needed to consume cocaine and this led him to having sex with prostitutes. These behaviours had a serious impact on his finances that lead him to asking for help. Nalmefene, 18 mg at dinner before going out, was prescribed. Taking one pill of nalmefene “allowed me to drink several shots without feeling a need to continue drinking and, most importantly, I didn’t feel the need to consume cocaine and have sex”. In an attempt to ascertain if what had happened the previous weekend was “psychological” the patient went out without taking nalmefene. The pattern of alcohol use, control loss, and consumption of cocaine and sex repeated itself. During the following two months, the patient took nalmefene during dinner before going out every weekend and the results were the same as when he first took the treatment.ConclusionNalmefene may be helpful in the treatment of several other addictions by blocking the positive reinforcements of the drugs.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals First Draft Genome Sequence ofBalamuthia mandrillaris, the Causative Agent of Amoebic Encephalitis

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Detering ◽  
T. Aebischer ◽  
P. W. Dabrowski ◽  
A. Radonić ◽  
A. Nitsche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Sequence ◽  
Causative Agent ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Draft Genome ◽  
Draft Genome Sequence ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Balamuthia Mandrillaris ◽  
Free Living Amoeba ◽  
The Brain

The free-living amoebaBalamuthia mandrillarisis a rare but highly lethal agent of amoebic encephalitis in humans and many other mammalian species. Here, we announce the first draft genome sequence of the original 1990 isolate cultured from the brain of a deceased mandrill baboon.

scholarly journals Lithium Toxicity at Therapeutic Blood Levels: A Case Report

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 26-28
Author(s):  
Alexandra Elizabeth Quimby ◽  
Rajeev Sachdeva
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Alcohol Abuse ◽  
Clinical Presentation ◽  
Toxic Effects ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Lithium Toxicity ◽  
Diagnosis And Management ◽  
Trouble Bipolaire ◽  
History Of

ABSTRACT:This report describes a case of lithium toxicity occurring at therapeutic blood levels in a 47-year-old man with bipolar disorder and a history of alcohol abuse. We discuss the clinical presentation of lithium toxicity, as well as factors that may contribute to a reduction in the blood levels required for the precipitation of toxic effects. In addition, we review the literature on cases of lithium toxicity occurring at therapeutic blood levels, including diagnosis and management thereof.RÉSUMÉ:Ce rapport décrit un cas de toxicité au lithium se produisant à des niveaux sanguins thérapeutiques chez un homme de 47 ans avec un trouble bipolaire et une histoire d’abus d’alcool. Nous discutons la présentation clinique de toxicité au lithium, ainsi que les facteurs pouvant contribuer à une réduction des niveaux sanguins nécessaires à la précipitation des effets toxiques. En outre, nous passons en revue la littérature sur les cas de toxicité au lithium se produisant à des niveaux sanguins thérapeutiques, y compris son diagnostic et sa gestion.

scholarly journals Ac-HSP20 Is Associated With the Infectivity and Encystation of Acanthamoeba castellanii

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ningning Wang ◽  
Hongyu Sun ◽  
Di Liu ◽  
Xiaoming Jiang ◽  
Meiyu Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Shock ◽  
Heat Shock Protein ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
High Titer ◽  
Acanthamoeba Castellanii ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Metal Affinity ◽  
Important Target ◽  
Free Living Amoeba ◽  
Amebic Encephalitis

Acanthamoeba castellanii is a pathogenic and opportunistic free-living amoeba that causes Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) and granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) in immunocompromised individuals. The biological and pathogenic characterizations behind this opportunistic protozoan is not fully understood. This study aimed to determine the biological functions of heat shock protein (HSP)-20 of A. castellanii (Ac-HSP20) involved in the maintenance of life cycle and the infectivity of A. castellanii. Immunoscreening A. castellanii cDNA library with A. castellanii infected rabbit sera identified three positive clones, one of them was a putative heat shock protein (Ac-HSP20). The recombinant 23 kDa Ac-HSP20 protein (rAc-HSP20) was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and purified using metal affinity chromatography. The rabbits immunized with rAc-HSP20 produced high titer antibody (1:25,600). Immunolocalization with the antibody identified the expression of native Ac-HSP20 on the surface of both A. castellanii trophozoites and cysts. Further, Western blot with antibody identified that the expression of native Ac-HSP20 was 7.5 times higher in cysts than in trophozoites. Blocking Ac-HSP20 on the membrane of trophozoites with specific antibody or silencing Ac-hsp20 gene transcription by siRNA inhibited their transformation into cysts at the early stage but returned to normal at the late stage by stimulating the transcription of Ac-hsp20. Incubation of trophozoites with anti-Ac-HSP20 IgG increased macrophage-involved phagocytosis to the protozoa and inhibited trophozoite infectivity on the cornea of rabbits compared with that without antibody. Our study provides that Ac-HSP20 is a surface antigen involved in the encystation and infectivity of A. castellanii and thus an important target for vaccine and drug development.

Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis Preventive Nose Plugs: Prophylaxis Against Naegleria fowleri

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Mannan Baig
Keyword(s):  
Naegleria Fowleri ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis ◽  
Free Living Amoeba ◽  
History Of ◽  
Nægleria Fowleri ◽  
Water Sports ◽  
Amoebic Meningoencephalitis

Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba; it is a protist pathogen that is known to cause a fatal encephalitis in humans known as “primary amoebic meningoencephalitis” (PAM). The peak season for the cases admitted to the hospital is in the summers, and all the reported cases have a history of exposure to the warm waters. Mostly, PAM is reported in recent swimmers and people who perform ablution and/or nasal cleansing. Much has been done for vaccination and treatment without any success in past 60 years, but the mortality has remained 99%. Here, we propose a prophylaxis for this disease by introducing a device “Naegleriopel.” This device is noninvasive and requires insertion into the nostrils at times of swimming or water sports related activities. This device, made up of synthetic plastic or silicone, could be adapted to the contours of the interior of the nose. It is expected to reduce the sporadic and seasonal incidences of PAM.

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