Acanthamoeba Culture Culture Csf
What is this test?
Acanthamoeba Culture is a technique predominantly used to test the presence of the Acanthamoeba in the human body. This test is done on both men and women to find out whether the CSF is infected by Acanthamoeba or not.
What is CSF:
CSF is cerebrospinal fluid. The central nervous system CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord. The fluid which moves in the space around the spinal cord is called cerebrospinal fluid. It helps in the protection of the central nervous system. It provides nutrients to the brain and spine and helps in the elimination of the waste products.
What is Acanthamoeba and its Infections:
Acanthamoeba is a microscopic amoeba that can cause serious eye, skin and CSF infections. It can cause Acanthamoeba Keratitis AK and Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis GAE. AK is the amoebic eye infection which may cause permanent visual impairment and damage to the cornea. GAE is the amoebic CSF infection which can cause mental status abnormalities and severe seizures.
Why this test is performed:
This test is performed to check the presence of Acanthamoeba in the CSF. The doctor may ask you to undergo this test if you are suffering from symptoms such as severe seizures, headaches, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting, loss of body control, hallucinations, confusion, or tiredness, etc.
This test is also performed to check the effectiveness of the treatment.
Test Preparation
Inform your doctor if you are on any medications, have any allergies or underlying medical conditions before your Acanthamoeba Culture Culture Csf. Your doctor will give specific instructions depending on your condition on how to prepare for Acanthamoeba Culture Culture Csf.
No specific preparation is necessary for this test.
Understanding your test results
The test results may vary depending on age, health history, medical condition, etc.
If growth is not seen in the culture, then it may indicate that the test results are negative, and the individual is not infected by the Acanthamoeba.
If growth is seen, then it may indicate that the results are positive and there is a chance for an individual CSF to be infected by the Acanthamoeba and may suffer from Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis GAE.
If abnormal test results are seen, consult your doctor immediately with your lab test reports.
| Gender | Age groups | Value |
| UNISEX | All age groups | The parasite is normally absent. It is detected in infected cases |