Acanthamoeba Follow-up

  • Author: Nancy F Crum-Cianflone; Chief Editor: Burke A Cunha, MD   more...
 
Updated: Nov 28, 2011
 

Deterrence/Prevention

  • Keratitis
    • Avoid using homemade sodium chloride solutions and swimming while wearing contacts.
    • Follow manufacturer's guidelines regarding cleaning contact lenses.
    • Heat disinfect or use benzalkonium-preserved saline for cleaning contact lenses.
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Complications

  • Keratitis
    • Hypopyon
    • Cataracts
    • Loss of vision
  • Granulomatous amebic encephalitis
    • Seizures
    • Coma
    • Death
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Prognosis

  • Keratitis usually responds to medical therapy. The disease process may affect visual acuity.
  • GAE carries a high mortality rate (nearly 100%). Most cases are fatal in 7-120 days (mean, 39 d).
  • Disseminated disease with skin involvement (no CNS disease) is associated with a mortality rate (73%).
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Patient Education

  • Contact lens wearers should avoid using homemade sodium chloride solutions and swimming while wearing contact lenses. Patients should consult manufacturer's guidelines regarding cleaning instructions.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Nancy F Crum-Cianflone  MD, MPH, Consulting Staff, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Naval Medical Center at San Diego

Nancy F Crum-Cianflone is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

David Hall Shepp, MD  Program Director, Fellowship in Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, North Shore University Hospital; Associate Professor, New York University School of Medicine

David Hall Shepp, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Gilead Sciences Salary Management position

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Richard B Brown, MD, FACP  Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases, Baystate Medical Center; Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine

Richard B Brown, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Massachusetts Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Eleftherios Mylonakis, MD  Clinical and Research Fellow, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital

Eleftherios Mylonakis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American College of Physicians, American Society for Microbiology, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Burke A Cunha, MD  Professor of Medicine, State University of New York School of Medicine at Stony Brook; Chief, Infectious Disease Division, Winthrop-University Hospital

Burke A Cunha, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous coauthor William B. Harley, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

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