Central Nervous System Infection Due to Balamuthia Spp.: Clinical Diagnosis and Management

Balamuthia amoebic encephalitis is a rare infection but it almost always proves fatal with the mortality rate of more than 95%. Thus it is not surprising that the majority of cases are identified at the post-mortem stage. Early diagnosis followed by aggressive treatment may lead to successful prognosis for the patient. The clinical diagnosis requires a high level of suspicion, awareness of the clinical signs, and a familiarity of the causative agent, Balamuthia mandrillaris. A complete understanding of the disease, clinical symptoms, available diagnostic methods, possible therapeutic interventions and knowledge of the causative agent would undoubtedly augment our ability to counter this deadly infection.