Biology and pathogenesis of Naegleria fowleri

Siddiqui R 1 , Ali IK 2 , Cope JR 2 , Khan NA 3

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 2 Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
  • 3 Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: naveed5438@gmail.com
Acta Trop, 2016 Dec;164:375-394.
PMID: 27616699 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2016.09.009

Abstract

Naegleria fowleri is a protist pathogen that can cause lethal brain infection. Despite decades of research, the mortality rate related with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis owing to N. fowleri remains more than 90%. The amoebae pass through the nose to enter the central nervous system killing the host within days, making it one of the deadliest opportunistic parasites. Accordingly, we present an up to date review of the biology and pathogenesis of N. fowleri and discuss needs for future research against this fatal infection.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

MeSH terms
Similar publications