Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections (Meningoencephalitis, Protozoal)

Infections of the brain, spinal cord, or meninges by single celled organisms of the former subkingdom known as protozoa. The central nervous system may be the primary or secondary site of protozoal infection. These diseases may occur as OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS or arise in immunocompetent hosts.

Also Known As:

Meningoencephalitis, Protozoal; Acanthamoeba Meningoencephalitis; Amebic Meningoencephalitis; Balamuthia mandrillaris CNS Infection; Balamuthia mandrillaris Meningoencephalitis; Infection, Central Nervous System, Protozoal; Infections, Protozoal, Central Nervous System; Naegleria fowleri Infection; Naegleria fowleri Meningoencephalitis; Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis; Protozoal Infections, Cerebral; Protozoal Meningoencephalitis; Sappinia diploidea Meningoencephalitis; Acanthamoeba Meningoencephalitides; Amebic Meningoencephalitides; Amebic Meningoencephalitides, Primary; Amebic Meningoencephalitis, Primary; Balamuthia mandrillaris Meningoencephalitides; CNS Protozoal Infection; Cerebral Protozoal Infection; Infection, CNS Protozoal; Infection, Cerebral Protozoal; Infection, Naegleria fowleri; Infections, CNS Protozoal; Meningoencephalitides, Acanthamoeba; Meningoencephalitides, Amebic; Meningoencephalitides, Balamuthia mandrillaris; Meningoencephalitides, Naegleria fowleri; Meningoencephalitides, Primary Amebic; Meningoencephalitides, Protozoal; Meningoencephalitides, Sappinia diploidea; Meningoencephalitis, Acanthamoeba; Meningoencephalitis, Amebic; Meningoencephalitis, Balamuthia mandrillaris; Meningoencephalitis, Naegleria fowleri; Meningoencephalitis, Primary Amebic; Meningoencephalitis, Sappinia diploidea; Naegleria fowleri Infections; Naegleria fowleri Meningoencephalitides; Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitides; Protozoal Infection, CNS; Protozoal Infection, Cerebral; Protozoal Infections, CNS; Protozoal Meningoencephalitides; Sappinia diploidea Meningoencephalitides; CNS Protozoal Infections; Cerebral Protozoal Infections; Protozoal Infections, Central Nervous System

Networked: 49 relevant articles (5 outcomes, 2 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Related Diseases

1.	Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia)
2.	Rare Diseases (Rare Disease)
3.	Neurologic Manifestations (Neurological Manifestations)
4.	Meningoencephalitis
5.	Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (Lymphosarcoma)

Experts

1.	Debnath, Anjan: 3 articles (01/2021 - 01/2018)
2.	Moreno-Fierros, L: 3 articles (09/2010 - 01/2008)
3.	Cope, Jennifer R: 2 articles (03/2016 - 04/2015)
4.	Visvesvara, Govinda S: 2 articles (03/2016 - 02/2011)
5.	Rodriguez-Monroy, M A: 2 articles (09/2010 - 03/2010)
6.	Marciano-Cabral, Francine: 2 articles (04/2009 - 02/2006)
7.	Brenner, George M: 2 articles (01/2007 - 02/2003)
8.	Escrig, Jose Ignacio: 1 article (01/2020)
9.	Hahn, Hye Jee: 1 article (01/2020)
10.	McKerrow, James H: 1 article (01/2018)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections:

1.	artemisinin (artemisinine)IBA 12/01/1995 - "In vivo study of artemisinin and its derivatives against primary amebic meningoencephalitis caused by Naegleria fowleri." 12/01/1995 - "Artemisinin and its derivatives, beta-arteether and sodium artesunic acid, have been evaluated for activity against experimental primary amebic meningoencephalitis and the efficacy of these compounds has been compared with that of the standard drug amphotericin B. "
2.	Amphotericin B (Amphotericin)FDA LinkGeneric 01/01/2020 - "Treatment of primary amebic meningoencephalitis relies on amphotericin B in combination with other drugs, but use of amphotericin B is associated with severe adverse effects. " 05/01/1979 - "The clinical manifestations, isolation of the ameba from the cerebrospinal fluid and nasal passages, poor response to amphotericin B, and ultimate fatal outcome all are consistent with the diagnosis of primary amebic meningoencephalitis. " 02/01/2003 - "Amphotericin B is the only agent with established clinical efficacy in the treatment of primary amebic meningoencephalitis in humans, but therapy with this drug is often associated with adverse effects on the kidneys and other organs, and not all persons treated with amphotericin B have survived. " 01/01/2007 - "Synergistic activities of azithromycin and amphotericin B against Naegleria fowleri in vitro and in a mouse model of primary amebic meningoencephalitis." 02/01/2003 - "Activities of azithromycin and amphotericin B against Naegleria fowleri in vitro and in a mouse model of primary amebic meningoencephalitis."
3.	Proteins (Proteins, Gene)FDA Link 04/01/2015 - "Protective immunity against Naegleria fowleri infection on mice immunized with the rNfa1 protein using mucosal adjuvants." 03/01/2010 - "When delivered intranasally (i.n.) Cry1Ac elicits significant antibody response and is able to improve vaccination against Naegleria fowleri infection, but the functional effects occurring in nasal lymphocytes when this protein is administered alone have not been determined. " 01/01/2008 - "According to previous reports, intranasal administration of the Cry1Ac protein alone or with amoebic lysates increases protection against Naegleria fowleri meningoencephalitis in mice, apparently by eliciting IgA responses in the nasal mucosa. "
4.	Monoclonal AntibodiesIBA 06/01/1992 - "[The protective effects of monoclonal antibodies in mice from Naegleria fowleri infection]." 09/01/1987 - "Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to Naegleria fowleri, the etiologic agent of primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), have been produced and used as probes to identify N. " 09/01/1987 - "Production of monoclonal antibodies to Naegleria fowleri, agent of primary amebic meningoencephalitis." 05/01/1987 - "As a new approach, we tested intracisternal passive immune therapy in rabbits with amebic meningoencephalitis by using antinaegleria immune serum, an immunoglobulin G fraction, and a newly developed monoclonal antibody to N. "
5.	miltefosine (Impavido)IBA 03/15/2016 - "Use of the Novel Therapeutic Agent Miltefosine for the Treatment of Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis: Report of 1 Fatal and 1 Surviving Case." 04/21/2023 - "Impavido (Miltefosine) is an FDA-approved drug for treating leishmaniasis and primary amebic meningoencephalitis. " 01/01/2018 - "Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a fatal infection caused by the free-living ameba Naegleria fowleri, popularly known as the "brain-eating ameba." The drugs of choice in treating PAM are the antifungal amphotericin B and an antileishmanial miltefosine, but these are not FDA-approved for this indication and use of amphotericin B is associated with severe adverse effects. "
6.	Immunoglobulin A (IgA)IBA 01/01/2008 - "According to previous reports, intranasal administration of the Cry1Ac protein alone or with amoebic lysates increases protection against Naegleria fowleri meningoencephalitis in mice, apparently by eliciting IgA responses in the nasal mucosa. " 11/01/2014 - "Intranasal coadministration of Cholera toxin with amoeba lysates modulates the secretion of IgA and IgG antibodies, production of cytokines and expression of pIgR in the nasal cavity of mice in the model of Naegleria fowleri meningoencephalitis."
7.	SodiumIBA 12/01/1995 - "Artemisinin and its derivatives, beta-arteether and sodium artesunic acid, have been evaluated for activity against experimental primary amebic meningoencephalitis and the efficacy of these compounds has been compared with that of the standard drug amphotericin B. "
8.	artesunic acidIBA 12/01/1995 - "Artemisinin and its derivatives, beta-arteether and sodium artesunic acid, have been evaluated for activity against experimental primary amebic meningoencephalitis and the efficacy of these compounds has been compared with that of the standard drug amphotericin B. "
9.	artemotil (arteether)IBA 12/01/1995 - "Artemisinin and its derivatives, beta-arteether and sodium artesunic acid, have been evaluated for activity against experimental primary amebic meningoencephalitis and the efficacy of these compounds has been compared with that of the standard drug amphotericin B. "
10.	Prednisolone (Predate)FDA LinkGeneric 06/01/1985 - "Present study aimed to elucidate the immunosuppressive effect of prednisolone on Naegleria fowleri infection in mice. "

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Intranasal Administration 09/01/2010 - "We previously reported that intranasal administration of Cry1Ac protoxin alone or in combination with amoebic lysates increases protection against Naegleria fowleri meningoencephalitis in mice. " 01/01/2008 - "According to previous reports, intranasal administration of the Cry1Ac protein alone or with amoebic lysates increases protection against Naegleria fowleri meningoencephalitis in mice, apparently by eliciting IgA responses in the nasal mucosa. "
2.	Therapeutics 02/01/2003 - "fowleri and may be a useful addition to therapy for primary amebic meningoencephalitis." 05/01/1987 - "Passive intracisternal antibody therapy might serve as an adjunctive component in the treatment of amebic meningoencephalitis." 06/01/2008 - "Successful treatment of acanthamoeba meningoencephalitis during induction therapy of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia." 11/01/1979 - "Primary amebic meningoencephalitis is a very rare disease, and it is only by prompt recognition of the amebae that we can make an early diagnosis and institute the appropriate therapy." 02/01/2003 - "Amphotericin B is the only agent with established clinical efficacy in the treatment of primary amebic meningoencephalitis in humans, but therapy with this drug is often associated with adverse effects on the kidneys and other organs, and not all persons treated with amphotericin B have survived. "
3.	Organ Transplantation 09/01/2013 - "Balamuthia mandrillaris meningoencephalitis associated with solid organ transplantation--review of cases." 04/01/1997 - "We describe the first reported case of organ transplantation from a boy who had died of undiagnosed Naegleria fowleri infection. " 11/01/2013 - "This epidemiological review analyzed cases of Naegleria fowleri primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) and Balamuthia mandrillaris granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) for behavioral and demographic risk factors for pathogen exposures and potential transmission by organ transplantation. "
4.	Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation (Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation) 07/01/2008 - "Unexpected postmortem diagnosis of Acanthamoeba meningoencephalitis following allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation." 08/01/1998 - "Acanthamoeba meningoencephalitis following autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation." 07/01/2008 - "We here report a case of Acanthamoeba meningoencephalitis following allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation with rapidly evolving neurologic symptoms that remained unexplained. "
5.	Nuclear Power Plants 04/01/2009 - "Water from Lake Anna in Virginia, a lake that is used to cool reactors at a nuclear power plant and for recreational activities, was assessed for the presence of Naegleria fowleri, an ameba that causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). "