Amoebiasis due to free-living amoebae

A rare parasitic disease caused by free-living amoebae belonging to the <i>Acanthamoeba</i>, <i>Naegleria</i> and <i>Balamuthia</i> genera, that are able to survive in an autonomous state in all natural environments and can also parasitize humans. In immunosuppressed individuals <i>Acanthamoeba</i> genus contamination leads to granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (also reported in association with species of the <i>Balamuthia</i> genus) together with other problems including cardiac, cutaneous and pulmonary manifestations, all of which influence the prognosis. In immunocompetent individuals, the <i>Naegleria fowleri</i> species is responsible for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, the evolution of which is rapidly fatal.