Jm. Feingold et al., ACANTHAMOEBA MENINGOENCEPHALITIS FOLLOWING AUTOLOGOUS PERIPHERAL STEM-CELL TRANSPLANTATION, Bone marrow transplantation, 22(3), 1998, pp. 297-300
Amoebic meningoencephalitis is an unusual complication of hone marrow
transplantation. We report a case of Acanthamoeba meningoencephalitis
in a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after autologous stem cell tr
ansplantation. Leg weakness, fever and urinary retention developed 69
days following transplantation. The patient then developed fever, gene
ralized tonic clonic seizure, rapid deterioration of mental functions
and hypercapneic respiratory failure. Magnetic resonance imaging demon
strated a ring enhancing lesion at the level of the thoracic spines 11
and 12. Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid revealed pleocytosis.
Despite empiric therapy with broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents, the
patient's condition worsened and she died II days following admission.
Autopsy findings revealed a subacute meningoencephalitis secondary to
Acanthamoeba culbertsoni.