Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38499865›Full record

ArticleParasitology research2024

Isolation and habitat analysis of Balamuthia mandrillaris from soil.

Kanako Yamanouchi, Hiroaki Arima, Yamato Sakamoto, Kazuki Kanto, Katsuhiro Itoh, Takakiyo Tsujiguchi

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Parasitology research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
2.5field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Fatal amoebic meningoencephalitis caused byFrontiers in veterinary science · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Kanako YamanouchiDepartment of Bioscience and Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-Cho, Hirosaki, 036-8564, Japan. kanako.8@hirosaki-u.ac.jp.
Hiroaki ArimaDepartment of International Health and Medical Anthropology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan.
Yamato SakamotoDepartment of Bioscience and Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-Cho, Hirosaki, 036-8564, Japan.
Kazuki KantoDepartment of Bioscience and Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-Cho, Hirosaki, 036-8564, Japan.
Katsuhiro ItohEducation Center for Disaster and Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-Cho, Hirosaki, 036-8564, Japan.
Takakiyo TsujiguchiEducation Center for Disaster and Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-Cho, Hirosaki, 036-8564, Japan.
Hirosaki University · JPNagasaki University · JP

Funding

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 18K17349
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Balamuthia mandrillaris is a free-living amoeba that causes meningoencephalitis in mammals. Over 200 cases of infection were reported worldwide, with a fatality rate of over 95%. A clear route of infection was unknown for a long time until a girl died of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) in California, USA, in 2003 due to infection with B. mandrillaris detected in a potted plant. Since then, epidemiological studies were conducted worldwide to detect B. mandrillaris in soil and other environmental samples. We previously reported the isolation of B. mandrillaris from the soil in Japan; however, the existing B. mandrillaris culture method with BM3 medium and COS-7 cells was unsuccessful. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to conduct soil analysis to determine the growth conditions of B. mandrillaris. B. mandrillaris-positive soils were defined as soils from which B. mandrillaris was isolated and environmental DNA was PCR-positive. Soils inhabited by B. mandrillaris were alkaline, with high electrical conductivity and characteristics of nutrient-rich soils of loam and clay loam. The results of this study suggest a possible reason for the high prevalence of GAE caused by B. mandrillaris among individuals employed in agriculture-related occupations.

Indexed as

AmebiasisAmoebaBalamuthia mandrillarisInfectious EncephalitisAnimalsFemaleHumansMammalsSoilSoilB. mandrillarisEnvironmental DNAGranulomatous amoebic encephalitisSoil analysis

Identifiers

PMID38499865
OpenAlexW4392968172

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.