Acanthamoeba Latest News
Recently, it is revealed that Acanthamoeba is more widespread in Kerala’s waterbodies than thought earlier.
About Acanthamoeba
- It is a free-living ameba, a kind of one-celled organism that lives in water, soil, and dust.
- It can also be found in swimming pools, hot tubs, drinking water systems, humidifiers, and in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
- It can cause serious infections of the brain, skin, eyes, and sinuses.Â
- It can infect parts of the body through cuts or skin wounds or from being inhaled into the lungs or nostrils. It can get into the eyes through contact lens use.
Types of Infections Caused by Acanthamoeba
- Granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE), which affects the brain and is almost always fatal
- Cutaneous acanthamoebiasis, a skin infection
- Acanthamoeba rhinosinusitis, an infection of the nasal cavity and sinuses
- Acanthamoeba keratitis: It is an eye infection that typically occurs in healthy people and can cause permanent vision loss.
Source: TH
Acanthamoeba FAQs
Q1: What disease does Acanthamoeba cause?
Ans: Acanthamoeba keratitis
Q2: Is Acanthamoeba a protozoa?
Ans: Acanthamoeba is an opportunistic protozoan that is widely distributed in the environment.
