Acanthamoeba spp. as Factors for Severe Infectious Diseases in Humans, 2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is a continuation of our previous Special Issue, “Acanthamoeba spp. as Factors for Severe Infectious Diseases in Humans”.

Different strains of Acanthamoeba spp., widely distributed in natural and man-made environments, are able to enter the human body from different sources, causing pathogenic effects. They are etiological agents of a rare, usually fatal granulomatous amoebic encephalitis developing in immunocompromised individuals. Pathogenic Acanthamoeba strains cause the vision-threatening, difficult-to-diagnose corneal disease Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). The progressive, devastating, considered-rare disease can result in a loss of visual acuity and even blindness; successful treatment has not yet been fully established. In recent decades, incidents of AK have been detected with increasing frequency, especially in contact lens wearers. Threats to individual and public health caused by AK remain poorly investigated. They are a worldwide medical problem; however, the knowledge and awareness of them are still insufficient. There are challenges in AK management: suitable clinical and laboratory diagnosis, in vivo/in vitro and molecular techniques, epidemiology aspects, chemotherapy, pathogenesis mechanisms, the potential role of concomitant infections and endosymbiotic microorganisms as secondary disease factors, an association with oral cavity microbiota, the influence of various risk factors. In this Special Issue, we will present up-to-date data and advanced research on the prevention of health threats caused by Acanthamoeba spp. infections.

Prof. Dr. Lidia Chomicz
Prof. Dr. Jacek P. Szaflik
Guest Editors

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