Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,505,192,583 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

Acanthamoeba

   Also found in: Wikipedia 0.06 sec.
Acanthamoeba /Acan·tha·moe·ba/ (ah-kan″thah-me´bah) a genus of free-living ameboid protozoa (order Amoebida) found usually in fresh water or moist soil. Certain species, such as A. astronyxis, A. castellanii, A. culbertsoni, A. hatchetti, A. polyphaga, and A. rhisodes, may occur as human pathogens.
A·can·tha·moe·ba (-knth-mb)
n.
A free-living ameba found in soil, sewage, and water, several species of which cause acanthamebiasis.

Acanthamoeba
[əkan′thəmē′bə]
a genus of free-living ameboid protozoa typically found in moist soil and water. The organisms may enter the body through a break in the skin, causing a localized infection, or even though the nose, causing systemic infections of the lung, genitourinary system, brain, and central nervous system. Disseminated cutaneous lesions caused by this organism are seen particularly in patients with AIDS. Although an infection may be fatal, cases are more commonly chronic.

Acanthamoeba
small amebae, found in soil and water; they have been found in tissue cultures and in sporadic cases of pneumonia, general systemic infection and can produce meningoencephalitis after experimental administration. Possibly associated with granulomatous encephalitis in greyhounds. Includes A. castellani, A. culbertsoni.

Acanthamoeba
A genus of free-living pathogenic amoebas Sources tap water, dust, soil, sewage, air conditioning units. See Acanthamebiasis. Cf Leptomyxid, Naegleria.


How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
Add definition
? Mentioned in ? References in periodicals archive
 
We report a fatal case of encephalitis caused by Acanthamoeba in a 24-year-old woman from India with systemic lupus erythematosus.
To treat the Acanthamoeba infection, the patient was started on oral itraconazole and intravenous metronidazole; IV pentamidine was added 2 days later.
Now, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta have released the results of a study that sought to identify risk factors linking soft lens wear with a rare amoebic infection of the cornea, Acanthamoeba keratitis.
 
Medical browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Medical Dictionary
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.