Balamuthia mandrillaris infection

Balamuthia mandrillaris infection

A disease, first described in 1990, caused by the amoebic protozoal organism Balamuthia mandrillaris . It is a granulomatous encephalitis that can affect both humans and animals. The granulomas can affect the face as well as the brain, and those in the brain cause space-occupying symptoms and signs. Diagnosis is by identifying the amoebae and cysts. There is no known effective treatment.