Experimental Infections with Pathogenic Free-Living Amebae in Laboratory Primate Hosts: I. (A) a Study on Susceptibility to Naegleria fowleri

Abstract

Studies were conducted on 27 Old World monkeys to determine their susceptibility to pathogenic strains (HB-1 and C-66) of Naegleria fowleri by intranasal, intravenous, or intrathecal inoculation of trophozoites. No clinically detectable disease resulted from either intranasal or intravenous inoculation, but 11 of 18 monkeys inoculated intrathecally succumed to acutely fatal meningoencephalitis, while the other 7 survived with no obvious permanent brain damage. Pathogenicity of N. fowleri appeared to be influenced by the strain virulence, growth phase, and cultural condition of the amebae, as well as age, immune competence, and other as yet unknown host factors.

In Vitro Susceptibilities of Naegleria fowleri Strain HB-1 to Selected Antimicrobial Agents, Singly and in Combination

“…There was no indication ofsynergy when AMB was combined with miconazole or when the methyl ester of AMB was combined with either minocycline, tetracycline, or miconazole. DISCUSSION AMB (5,8,9,17), tetracycline (19), rifampin (19), clotrimazole (9,12), and miconazole (9,21) have all shown activity against Naegleria spp. The majority of the assays of these reagents have been carried out either on agar plates or in axenic media, both with and without bacteria as an added nutrient.…”

Overview of known non-human primate pathogens with potential to affect colonies used for toxicity testing

“…and B. mandrillaris can cause granulomatous amoebic encephalitis in immunocompromised hosts (Schuster and Visvesvara, 2004). Acute fatal meningoencephalitis has been demonstrated by experimental infection with A. culbertsoni or N. fowleri, and spontaneous acanthamoeba infection in an SIV-infected rhesus macaque was associated with necrotizing meningoencephalitis and pneumonitis (Wong et al, 1975a(Wong et al, , 1975bWestmoreland et al, 2004). B. mandrillarisassociated meningoencephalitis has been observed in Old World primates, but infection in macaques has not been reported (Rideout et al, 1997).…”

Scanning electron microscopic study of human neuroblastoma cells affected with Naegleria fowleri Thai strains

“…The first case of PAM in Thailand was found in the northeast (Jariya et al 1983), and several cases from various areas (Poungvarin and Jariya 1991;Sirinavin et al 1989;Somboonyosdech et al 1987) were reported later. In order to understand the pathogenesis of N. fowleri in PAM, a number of studies were carried out in animal models such as guinea pigs (Philips 1974), monkeys (Wong et al 1975), sheep (Simpsons et al 1982), rabbits (Smego and Durack 1984), and other wild mammals (John and Hoppe 1990). Mice have become the preferred subjects for examining the complexity of the host-parasite relations (De Jonckheere 1979).…”