Acanthamoeba keratitis
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. Acanthamoeba are protozoa found nearly ubiquitously in soil and water and can cause infections of the skin, eyes, and central nervous system.
| 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 |
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. 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.