Laboratory diagnosis of pathogenic free-living amoebas: Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, and Leptomyxid.

Pathogenic free-living amebae of the genera Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, and Leptomyxid are still unfamiliar to pathologists, clinicians, and public health workers. These amebae are distributed worldwide in fresh water, dust, soil, sewage, and air conditioning units. The diagnosis, identification, and culture of the amebae, and risk factors, clinical manifestations, and histopathologic features of the diseases produced by these amebae are reviewed in this article.