| Acanthamoeba keratitis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Fluorescein observation of an eye with Acanthamoeba keratitis | |
| Specialty | Ophthalmology, infectious diseases  |
| Complications | Visual impairment, blindness |
| Risk factors | Contact lens wearer, contaminated water supply, low socioeconomic status |
| Treatment | Topical medications, surgical debridement, corneal transplantation |
| Frequency | 1.2–3 million people per year; 1 per 10,000 contact wearers[1] |
Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare disease in which amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba invade the clear portion of the front (cornea) of the eye. It affects roughly 100 people in the United States each year.[2] Acanthamoeba are protozoa found nearly ubiquitously in soil and water and can cause infections of the skin, eyes, and central nervous system.[3]
Infection of the cornea by Acanthamoeba is difficult to treat with conventional medications, and AK may cause permanent visual impairment or blindness, due to damage to the cornea or through damage to other structures important to vision.[4][5] Recently, AK has been recognized as an orphan disease and a funded project, orphan diseases Acanthamoeba keratitis (ODAK), has tested the effects of a diverse range drugs and biocides on AK.[6]
- ^ "Acanthamoeba Infection: Background, Pathophysiology, Epidemiology". Medscape Reference. 2020-03-26. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
- ^ Scruggs BA, Quist TS, Salinas JL, Greiner MA, et al. (2019). Notes from the Field: Acanthamoeba Keratitis Cases — Iowa, 2002–2017. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
- ^ "CDC - Acanthamoeba Infection". www.cdc.gov. 2017-06-21. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
- ^ Lorenzo-Morales J, Khan NA, Walochnik J (2015). "An update on Acanthamoeba keratitis: diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment". Parasite. 22: 10. doi:10.1051/parasite/2015010. PMC 4330640. PMID 25687209.
- ^ "CDC - Acanthamoeba Infection - General Information - Acanthamoeba Keratitis FAQs". Cdc.gov. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
- ^ Baig AM (2019). "Drug targeting in Acanthamoeba keratitis: rational of using drugs that are already approved for ocular use in non-keratitis indications". Eye. 33 (3): 509–518. doi:10.1038/s41433-018-0245-6. PMC 6460712. PMID 30356128.
