Brief review of human infections by free living amoebae in Argentina

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are protozoa that are present in nature and fulfill their life cycle in the environment. Some genera of this group, such as Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria sp., Balamuthia sp. and Sappinia sp. can occasionally cause serious diseases in humans. There are few documented reports on the pathologies caused by AVL in man and their epidemiology in Argentina. There are numerous cases of Acanthamoeba spp. keratitis, many of which were resolved with corneal transplantation; at least six cases of Granulomatous Amebic Encephalitis (GAE) produced by Balamuthia sp. and recently, in February 2017, a first report with fatal consequences of Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAME) caused by Naegleria fowleri in the province of Buenos Aires. As a consequence of this case, the protozoan was isolated from the pond where the deceased child had bathed the previous week. No cases caused by Sappinia fowleri were reported in the province of Buenos Aires.