[Primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Report of a suspicious case and review of the medical literature].

The case of a 24-year old patient who, in July 1976, submerged into a canal of Guanimar river and, five days later, had a febrile meningoencephalitic clinical picture, is presented; he was in a very severe condition and recovered without sequelae with a treatment based on amphotericin B. The negative cultures for bacteria, fungi and viruses, the characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid and the observation of free-life amebae in the water of the wash of rhinopharynx and pharingeal cavity allowed to establish, with great accuracy, the presuntive diagnosis of primary amebic meningoencephalitis.