Sappinia pedata

Sappinia pedata is a free-living amoeba that belongs to the family Thecamoebidae. It is a rare cause of amoebic encephalitis, a serious and often fatal brain infection.

Taxonomy

The genus Sappinia was first described in 1899 by F. Doflein. Sappinia pedata is one of two species in this genus, the other being Sappinia diploidea. The species name pedata refers to the foot-like extensions, or pseudopodia, that the amoeba uses for movement and feeding.

Morphology

Sappinia pedata is a unicellular organism with a complex life cycle that includes both trophozoite (active feeding stage) and cyst (dormant stage) forms. The trophozoites are irregular in shape and have multiple pseudopodia. The cysts are round and have a double wall.

Pathogenicity

Sappinia pedata is generally considered a non-pathogenic organism. However, in 2001, a case of amoebic encephalitis caused by Sappinia pedata was reported in a healthy adult in the United States. This was the first and so far the only documented case of human disease caused by this amoeba.

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis of Sappinia pedata infection is challenging due to the rarity of the disease and the non-specific symptoms. The amoeba can be identified in brain tissue samples using microscopy and molecular biology techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Treatment involves a combination of antimicrobial drugs, but the prognosis is generally poor due to the aggressive nature of the infection.

See also

• Amoebic encephalitis
• Free-living amoebae
• Thecamoebidae