Balamuthia Mandrillaris Encephalitis: Slow but Lethal March Towards the Brain

Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui; Sutherland Kester Maciver; Naveed Ahmed Khan

doi:10.1097/INF.0000000000005057

Balamuthia Mandrillaris Encephalitis: Slow but Lethal March Towards the Brain

Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
, Sutherland Kester Maciver
, Naveed Ahmed Khan^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Balamuthia mandrillaris causes granulomatous amebic encephalitis. It is puzzling that unlike many blood-borne pathogens that can invade the central nervous system within hours, B. mandrillaris typically takes weeks to months before culminating in encephalitis. Here, we discuss basis of Balamuthia's slow pathogenesis with an eye for improving early recognition, therapeutic interventions and identifying novel targets for intervention.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	e116-e117
Number of pages	2
Journal	The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
Volume	45
Issue number	4
Early online date	25 Nov 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1097/INF.0000000000005057
Publication status	Published - Apr 2026

Keywords

central nervous system
encephalitis
Balamuthia
parasite

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10.1097/INF.0000000000005057

Cite this

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abstract = "Balamuthia mandrillaris causes granulomatous amebic encephalitis. It is puzzling that unlike many blood-borne pathogens that can invade the central nervous system within hours, B. mandrillaris typically takes weeks to months before culminating in encephalitis. Here, we discuss basis of Balamuthia's slow pathogenesis with an eye for improving early recognition, therapeutic interventions and identifying novel targets for intervention.",

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AB - Balamuthia mandrillaris causes granulomatous amebic encephalitis. It is puzzling that unlike many blood-borne pathogens that can invade the central nervous system within hours, B. mandrillaris typically takes weeks to months before culminating in encephalitis. Here, we discuss basis of Balamuthia's slow pathogenesis with an eye for improving early recognition, therapeutic interventions and identifying novel targets for intervention.

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KW - encephalitis

KW - Balamuthia

KW - parasite

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Balamuthia Mandrillaris Encephalitis: Slow but Lethal March Towards the Brain

Abstract

Keywords

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