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Rodríguez-Expósito RL, Carbonell L, Recuero-Gil J, Martinez J, Martinez-Valverde R, Martinez-Fernandez C, Ortega-Porcel J, Hernández AB, Corpa JM, Cortijo EM, Sánchez-Nicolás J, Moya S, Pérez-Pérez P, Reyes-Batlle M, Domíngez-de-Barros A, García-Pérez O, Magnet A, Izquierdo F, Fenoy S, del Águila C, Córdoba-Lanús E, García-González FDA, Casares M, Piñero JE, Lorenzo-Morales J. Fatal amoebic meningoencephalitis caused by Balamuthia mandrillaris in Pongo pygmaeus and first case report in Pan troglodytes verus. Front Vet Sci 2025; 12:1534378. [PMID: 40177675 PMCID: PMC11963380 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1534378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2025] [Indexed: 04/05/2025] Open
Abstract
Balamuthia mandrillaris is an amoeba that can cause granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) as well as lung and skin infections in both humans and animals. Studies on B. mandrillaris-related GAE cases have increased in recent years. This amoeba has been identified as a cause of encephalitis and death in several non-human primates. In this study, we report a case of a 4-year-old female Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) in a zoological center that exhibited neurological symptoms for several days. After unsuccessful treatments and a worsening in her condition, euthanasia was deemed necessary. Additionally, we describe the case of a 4-year-old male chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) who died suddenly in a different zoo. Postmortem analysis revealed brain lesions with multiple hemorrhages, oedema, and inflammation in various organs in both cases. Histology showed the presence of B. mandrillaris trophozoites in necrotic and inflamed brain tissues, consistent with granulomatous amoebic meningoencephalitis. The diagnosis was confirmed using a multiplex qPCR assay on brain tissue samples from both animals water and soil samples from the chimpanzee's and orangutan's enclosure tested positive for B. mandrillaris DNA by qPCR, confirming environmental exposure. An immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) assay detected B. mandrillaris in chimpanzee brain slices. According to the authors' knowledge, this report documents the first known cases of Balamuthia amoebic encephalitis in non-human primates in Spain and the first case in Pan troglodytes verus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén L. Rodríguez-Expósito
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La laguna, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Joaquín Ortega-Porcel
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Valencia, Spain
| | - Agustín Barragán Hernández
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan M. Corpa
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Valencia, Spain
| | - Estefanía Montero Cortijo
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Sergio Moya
- Hospital Animal Bluecare Partners, Málaga, Spain
| | - Patricia Pérez-Pérez
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La laguna, Spain
| | - María Reyes-Batlle
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La laguna, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Angélica Domíngez-de-Barros
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Omar García-Pérez
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Angela Magnet
- Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Izquierdo
- Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Madrid, Spain
| | - Soledad Fenoy
- Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen del Águila
- Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elizabeth Córdoba-Lanús
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - José E. Piñero
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La laguna, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jacob Lorenzo-Morales
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La laguna, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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McMahon DE, Schuetz AN, Kovarik CL. Emerging infectious diseases of the skin: a review of clinical and histologic findings. Hum Pathol 2023; 140:196-213. [PMID: 37454994 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2023.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases are of great importance to public health and clinical practice. This review aims to characterize the clinical and histopathologic features of emerging infectious diseases with cutaneous manifestations in order to increase awareness of these entities among dermatologists, pathologists, and dermatopathologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devon E McMahon
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Audrey N Schuetz
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Carrie L Kovarik
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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Gramp PE, Dooley J, O'Brien B, Jones A, Tan L, Robson J, Robertson T, Simos P, Fuller R, Gramp DV, Meumann EM. Fatal granulomatous amebic encephalitis initially presenting with a cutaneous lesion. Australas J Dermatol 2023; 64:e256-e261. [PMID: 37154242 DOI: 10.1111/ajd.14068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
We present a case of a 66-year-old man with a cutaneous Balamuthia mandrillaris lesion that progressed to fatal granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. We provide a summary of Australian cases and describe the clinical features and approach to diagnosing this rare but devastating condition, including the importance of PCR for diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prudence E Gramp
- Dermatology Department, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - John Dooley
- NH Diagnostics, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Blake O'Brien
- Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Andrew Jones
- Infectious Disease Department, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Leong Tan
- Neurosurgery Department, Pindara Hospital, Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Jennifer Robson
- Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Thomas Robertson
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Peter Simos
- Infectious Disease Department, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Robert Fuller
- Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Dallas V Gramp
- Dermatology Department, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ella M Meumann
- Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Zheng J, Tan M, Chen J, Li C, Meng F, Wang L, Liao J. Diagnosis of cutaneous Balamuthia mandrillaris infection via next-generation sequencing in a Chinese woman. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2023; 37:e355-e357. [PMID: 36377799 DOI: 10.1111/jdv.18747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiecheng Zheng
- Department of Dermatology, Zhongshan Second People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China
| | - Min Tan
- Department of Dermatology, Zhongshan Second People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China
| | - Jianhua Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Zhongshan Second People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China
| | - Chen Li
- Department of Dermatology, Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China
| | - Fengjiao Meng
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military, Xi'an, China
| | - Jia Liao
- Department of Dermatology, Zhongshan Second People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China
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