NECROHEMORRHAGIC MENINGOENCEPHALITIS IN A RED RUFFED LEMUR (VARECIA RUBRA) CAUSED BY ACANTHAMOEBA T1 GENOTYPE

A 5-yr-old castrated male red ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra) was evaluated for cluster seizures over a 24-h period. Seizures were refractory to anticonvulsive therapy. MRI revealed meningoencephalitis affecting the left occipital lobe. Because of concern for superrefractory status epilepticus and overall poor prognosis, the animal was humanely euthanized. Postmortem examination revealed necrohemorrhagic meningoencephalitis with intralesional amoebic trophozoites and cysts. The causative agent was identified as Acanthamoeba spp. T1 genotype via immunohistochemistry staining and species-specific real-time PCR. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first documented report of Acanthamoeba T1 genotype meningoencephalitis in a nonhuman primate in professional care.