Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42560417›Full record

ReviewMedical microbiology and immunology2026

Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis: pathogenesis, diagnostic advances, therapeutic challenges, and emerging treatment strategies.

Megha Gautham, Poluri Koteswari

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Medical microbiology and immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

2 authors.

Megha GauthamDepartment of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144411, India.
Poluri KoteswariDepartment of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144411, India. polurikoteswari@gmail.com.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3573-4739

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) is a rare but highly fatal central nervous system infection caused primarily by Acanthamoeba spp. and Balamuthia mandrillaris. Delayed diagnosis and the absence of standardized treatment protocols contribute to mortality exceeding 90%. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding GAE pathogenesis, diagnosis, therapeutic challenges, and emerging treatment strategies. The pathogenesis involves amoebic adhesion, secretion of proteases and phospholipases, host inflammatory responses, and blood-brain barrier disruption. Recent advances in molecular diagnostics improve early pathogen detection, while drug repurposing, nanotechnology-based delivery systems, and cyst-targeted approaches represent promising therapeutic strategies. Nevertheless, treatment remains challenging because of poor blood-brain barrier penetration, cyst-associated resistance, and limited clinical evidence. Continued integration of molecular diagnostics, mechanistic studies, translational research, and multicentre clinical investigations is essential for improving outcomes in this devastating disease.

Indexed as

AcanthamoebaAmebiasisBalamuthia mandrillarisCentral Nervous System Protozoal InfectionsInfectious EncephalitisAnimalsAntiprotozoal AgentsBlood-Brain BarrierHumansAntiprotozoal AgentsAcanthamoebaBalamuthia mandrillarisBlood–brain barrierDrug repurposingFree-living amoebaeMetagenomic next-generation sequencingMiltefosine

Identifiers

PMID42560417

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.