Naegleria fowleri is a pathogenic amoeba that propagates in fresh water. It causes severe meningoencephalitis in infected humans (PAM, primary amebic meningoencephalitis). The mortality rate of this disease reaches over 99%. Most of the cases have been reported in the United States and have occurred mostly in summer. The prevalence of the disease in animals has been significantly lower than in man so far. Cases have been reported in cows, sheep, gibbons, gorillas, and tapirs, and experimental infections have been induced in mice. Meningoencephalitis is accompanied by progressive neurological signs. In the necropsy, the thickening of the meninges and multifocal areas of cerebral and cerebellar malacia are diagnosed. Histologically, a multifocal, necrosuppurative meningoencephalitis with areas of mallacia containing ameba trophoziotes are visible. The diagnosis of the disease is difficult. Ameba may be detected in the cerebro-spinal fluid, but often only after a culture of necropsy samples has been performed. The following techniques are used to diagnose the disease: immunofluorescent staining, light and confocal microscopy, ELISA, PCR, and RQ-PCR.
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