From Pathogenicity of Free-Living Amoebae to Applications in Medical-Related Sciences
A special issue of Parasitologia (ISSN 2673-6772).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 41
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba, causes acute amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), and Acanthamoeba spp. cause chronic encephalitis and keratitis. They are mainly transmitted by swimming in unsterilized water or, especially in the case of A. castellanii, through contaminated contact lenses. There are not many reports of patients worldwide: fewer than 10 cases per year for N. fowleri and only 2 cases of chronic encephalitis due to Acanthamoeba have been reported based on a Pubmed search. There are no case reports of keratitis due to A. castellanii in Pubmed, likely due to the increased use of disposable contact lenses and lens cleaning solutions. As N. fowleri causes infection very acutely, by the time patients visit, are tested, and the results are confirmed, their condition is often very critical. Even in the description of the treatment method recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is mentioned that "unfortunately, more than 97% of people with PAM have died from the infection. PAM progresses very quickly. This has made treatments for the disease difficult to identify." When reviewing the contents and existing studies, prioritizing immune prevention of N. fowleri infection may be important. In the case of encephalitis caused by Acanthamoeba, since it is a chronic condition, an experienced expert is needed to confirm the patient's infection. It is very difficult to expect significant research advancement with only about 100 researchers worldwide studying free-living amoeba, but collecting results and opinions on pathogenicity studies, infection prevention, experimental animal applications, and patient reports through this Special Issue is considered necessary.
We welcome submissions that provide new perspectives and data on pathogenicity, prevention, experimental applications, and clinical cases to advance research in this critical field.
Dr. Paul Jung
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- free-living amoeba
- Naegleria
- Acanthamoeba
- pathogenicity
- immunity
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