Article Figures & Data
Figures
- FIG. 1.
Indirect immunofluorescence-stained section of necrotic brain tissue from patient 4 (Table 1). The dark circles seen in the section are the lumens of blood vessels; the bright-staining profiles surrounding the vessels and scattered throughout the tissue are Balamuthia amebas. In all the types of amebic encephalitides, the amebas are typically found in large numbers in the perivascular regions of the brain.
- FIG. 2.
PCR gel showing bands at ∼1,075 bp for Balamuthia mitochondrial DNA. Lane 1, marker; lane 2, DNA isolated from brain tissue of Balamuthia patient 4; lane 3, negative control (water); lane 4, positive control (using DNA extracted from cultured Balamuthia). The arrow in lane 1 (marker) indicates ∼1,075 bp.
- FIG. 3.
Agarose gel showing banding at ∼1,075 bp for Balamuthia DNA in CSF samples. Lane 1, CSF from patient 2 (Table 1); lane 2, CSF from patient 3; lane 3, positive control, using DNA extracted from cultured Balamuthia; lane 4, same as lane 3 but at 1/10 concentration; lane 5, negative control (water); lane 6, marker. The arrow in lane 6 (marker) indicates ∼1,075 bp.
- FIG. 4.
Agarose gel showing CSF samples spiked with Balamuthia DNA. Lanes 1 and 12, markers; lane 2, CSF with DNA extracted from 100 amebas; lane 3, CSF with DNA from 50 amebas; lane 4, CSF with DNA from 12 amebas; lane 5, CSF with DNA from 3 amebas; lane 6, CSF with DNA from 0.75 ameba; lane 7, CSF with DNA from 0.2 ameba; lane 8, DNA from 0.05 ameba; lane 9, Hanks' basal salt solution; lane 10, negative control (water); lane 11, positive control (DNA from Balamuthia harvested from culture). Arrow in lane 1 (marker) indicates ∼1,075 bp.
Tables
- TABLE 1.
Clinical samples from Balamuthia cases: IIF and culture results and materials for PCR
Case no. Sex/age (yr) Locationa Titerb for: Availabilityd of: Resultse for: Balamuthia Acanthamoeba Unfixed tissue CSF Culture attempts H&E slides Slides for IIFc Specimens for PCR 1 Male/64 San Diego Co., CA 128 16/32 Yes (brain) NA Brain, (−) (+) Brain, (+); kidney, (−); lung, (−) Brain, (+); kidney, (−); lung, (−) 2f Male/2.5 Bexar Co., TX 256 32 NA Yes CSF, (−) (+) Brain, (+) CSF (+) 3f Male/7 Orange Co., CA 256 2 NA Yes CSF, (−) (+) Brain, (+) CSF (+) 4 Male/7 Santa Clara Co., CA 256 32 Yes (brain) NA Brain, (−) (+) Brain, (+); kidney, (−); lung, (−) Brain, (+); kidney, (−); lung, (+) 5 Female/3 Sonoma Co., CA 128/256 32 Yes (brain) Yes Brain, (+); CSF, (−) (+) Brain, (+) Brain, (+); CSF, (+) ↵ a County and state from which specimen originated.
↵ b Antibody levels expressed as reciprocal titers. Threshold for positive titers, 1:128.
↵ c Unstained slides with tissue sections as noted.
↵ d NA, not available; yes, available.
↵ e (−), unsuccessful isolation and/or detection of amebas or ameba DNA; (+), successful isolation and/or detection of amebas.
↵ f Not included in the CEP.
