How does infection with Acanthamoeba occur?
Acanthamoeba keratitis infection has been associated with contact lens use, although people who do not use contact lenses can become infected. Contact lens wearers who practice proper lens care can develop infection. However, poor lens hygiene or wearing contact lenses during swimming, hot tub use, or showering might increase the risk of Acanthamoeba entering the eye and causing a serious infection. Acanthamoeba can also cause disseminated infection by entering the skin through a cut, wound, or through the nostrils. Once inside the body, amebas disperse via the bloodstream to other parts of the body, especially the lungs and brain and spinal cord.
