Successful treatment of disseminated Acanthamoeba sp. infection with miltefosine

Alexander C Aichelburg; Julia Walochnik; Ojan Assadian; Helmut Prosch; Andrea Steuer; Gedeon Perneczky; Govinda S Visvesvara; Horst Aspöck; Norbert Vetter

doi:10.3201/eid1411.070854

Successful treatment of disseminated Acanthamoeba sp. infection with miltefosine

Emerg Infect Dis. 2008 Nov;14(11):1743-6. doi: 10.3201/eid1411.070854.

Authors

Alexander C Aichelburg¹, Julia Walochnik, Ojan Assadian, Helmut Prosch, Andrea Steuer, Gedeon Perneczky, Govinda S Visvesvara, Horst Aspöck, Norbert Vetter

Affiliation

¹ Pulmonological Centre, Otto Wagner Hospital, Vienna, Austria. alexander.aichelburg@wienkav.at

Abstract

We report on an HIV-negative but immunocompromised patient with disseminated acanthamoebiasis, granulomatous, amoebic encephalitis and underlying miliary tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis. The patient responded favorably to treatment with miltefosine, an alkylphosphocholine. The patient remained well with no signs of infection 2 years after treatment cessation.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Acanthamoeba*
Administration, Oral
Administration, Topical
Adult
Amebiasis / complications
Amebiasis / drug therapy*
Amebiasis / immunology
Amebiasis / pathology
Animals
Antiprotozoal Agents / administration & dosage
Antiprotozoal Agents / therapeutic use*
Encephalitis / complications
Encephalitis / immunology
Encephalitis / pathology
Granuloma / complications
Granuloma / immunology
Granuloma / pathology
Humans
Immunocompromised Host*
Male
Phosphorylcholine / administration & dosage
Phosphorylcholine / analogs & derivatives*
Phosphorylcholine / therapeutic use
Skin Ulcer / complications
Skin Ulcer / immunology
Skin Ulcer / pathology
Treatment Outcome
Tuberculosis, Miliary / complications
Tuberculosis, Miliary / immunology
Tuberculosis, Miliary / pathology

Substances

Antiprotozoal Agents
Phosphorylcholine
miltefosine