''Sappinia diploidea'' is a free-living

amoeba An amoeba (; less commonly spelled ameba or amœba; : amoebas (less commonly, amebas) or amoebae (amebae) ), often called an amoeboid, is a type of Cell (biology), cell or unicellular organism with the ability to alter its shape, primarily by ...

species.

Background

''Sappinia'' can be found worldwide. It usually occurs in elk and buffalo feces, places where farm animals are known to eat, soil containing rotting plants, and fresh water sources.

Clinical significance

It is capable of causing infectious disease in humans.

Symptoms of ''Sappinia'' infection

Symptoms of a Sappinia infection include

headache A headache, also known as cephalalgia, is the symptom of pain in the face, head, or neck. It can occur as a migraine, tension-type headache, or cluster headache. There is an increased risk of Depression (mood), depression in those with severe ...

photophobia Photophobia is a medical symptom of abnormal intolerance to visual perception of light. As a medical symptom, photophobia is not a morbid fear or phobia, but an experience of discomfort or pain to the eyes due to light exposure or by presence o ...

nausea Nausea is a diffuse sensation of unease and discomfort, sometimes perceived as an urge to vomit. It can be a debilitating symptom if prolonged and has been described as placing discomfort on the chest, abdomen, or back of the throat. Over 30 d ...

or upset stomach,

vomiting Vomiting (also known as emesis, puking and throwing up) is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose. Vomiting can be the result of ailments like food poisoning, gastroenteritis, pre ...

, blurred vision, and

loss of consciousness Unconsciousness is a state in which a living individual exhibits a complete, or near-complete, inability to maintain an awareness of self and environment or to respond to any human or environmental stimulus. Unconsciousness may occur as the re ...

. A scan of the one, infected patient’s brain also revealed a 2-centimeter tumor-like mass on the back left section of his brain.

Treatment

Treatment for the one identified case of Sappinia infection included the removal of a tumor in the brain and a series of drugs given to the patient after surgery. This treatment led to the patient’s full recovery.

References

External links

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Sappinia FAQs
* http://starcentral.mbl.edu/mv/portal.php?pagetitle=classification&BLOCKID=9&CHILDID=13432 * https://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/343529 {{Taxonbar, from=Q7421082 Discosea Amoebozoa species