The immunological aspects of Acanthamoeba infections

Abstract

Acanthamoeba is a protozoan pathogen that is responsible for two recognized diseases; i) a blinding keratitis, most commonly associated with contact lens wear, and ii) a rare but fatal granulomatous encephalitis that usually is limited to immunocompromised patients. The fact that Acanthamoeba infections are generally limited to avascular cornea or immunocompromised patients suggests that the normal immune responses may be sufficient to control and/or eradicate these pathogens. Here we describe our current understanding of the immune responses to Acanthamoeba infections.