Emerging Infectious Diseases (Mar 2007)

Rapidly Fatal Acanthamoeba Encephalitis and Treatment of Cryoglobulinemia

  • Wouter Meersseman,
  • Katrien Lagrou,
  • Raf Sciot,
  • Johan de Jonckheere,
  • Christine Haberler,
  • Julia Walochnik,
  • Willy E. Peetermans,
  • Eric van Wijngaerden

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1303.061001
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 3
pp. 469 – 469

Abstract

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We describe a 66-year-old woman with therapy-refractory cryoglobulinemia treated with rituximab, plasmapheresis, and steroids; a case of fatal meningoencephalitis caused by Acanthamoeba spp. then developed. Such infections are rare and show an unusually rapid course (possibly related to rituximab).

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