Free-living cutaneous amebiasis, ignored herald of lethal encephalitis. Case report

• Autores: Celis, Violeta, Rojas Meza , Eduardo, Sialer , Marleny, Encalada, Sandra
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2023
• Institución: Cuerpo Médico Hospital Nacional Almanzor Aguinaga Asenjo
• Repositorio: Revista del Cuerpo Médico Hospital Nacional Almanzor Aguinaga Asenjo
• Lenguaje: español
• OAI Identifier: oai:cmhnaaa_ojs_cmhnaaa.cmhnaaa.org.pe:article/1802
• Enlace del recurso: https://cmhnaaa.org.pe/ojs/index.php/rcmhnaaa/article/view/1802
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto
• Materia: Amebiasis; Infección por Balamuthia; Infección por Acanthamoeba; Meningoencefalitis Protozoaria; Infecciones Protozoarias del Cerebro; Lupus Vulgar; amebiasis; Balamuthia infection; Acanthamoeba Infection; Amebic Meningoencephalitis; Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections; Lupus Vulgaris

Introduction: Diseases caused by free-living amoebas (FLA) are rare but with a lethality greater than 90% when they affect the central nervous system (CNS). The clinical picture can be confused with more prevalent diseases. Case report: A 32-year-old farmer from Poroto-Trujillo-La Libertad-Peru, started the disease with a central facial erythematous plaque that was diagnosed as cutaneous tuberculosis (CTB), without improvement despite receiving a complete regimen of anti-tuberculous chemotherapy. Seven months later, he presented severe encephalitis and died three days after his admission to the hospital. FLA trophozoites were found in the skin biopsy. A diagnosis of cutaneous dermatitis due to FLA complicated with granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) is proposed. Similar cases have not been documented in his place of origin. Conclusion: In northern Peru, skin plaques in people exposed to the ground or stagnant water should be considered warning signs of the probability of AVL infection.