Subacute Balamuthia mandrillaris encephalitis in an immunocompetent patient diagnosed by next-generation sequencing.

ABSTRACT: Balamuthia mandrillaris is a free-living heterotrophic amoeba found in soil that causes a rare and usually fatal granulomatous amebic encephalitis. We report an immunocompetent patient infected with B. mandrillaris encephalitis diagnosed by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Clinical manifestations included sudden headache and epilepsy with disturbance of consciousness. The opening pressure of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was 220 mmH₂O, with mildly elevated white blood cell numbers and elevated protein levels. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed abnormal signals in the right frontal lobe, left parietal lobe, and left occipital lobe. CSF NGS detected B. mandrillaris. Albendazole and metronidazole combined with fluconazole were administered to the patient

SUBMITTER: Xu C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9073125 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature