Why Does Acanthamoeba Keratitis Not Progress to the Interior of the Eye?
Acanthamoeba keratitis is a protozoal infection that produces extensive damage to the ocular surface, sometimes requiring transplantation to restore vision. While Acanthamoeba nasopharyngeal and cutaneous infections can progress to encephalitis, Acanthamoeba ocular infections remain restricted to the cornea. Clarke et al. (p. 2472) show that a robust neutrophil response is associated with the disappearance of intraocular trophozoites and suggests that cells of the innate immune apparatus are important in preventing Acanthamoeba keratitis from becoming an intraocular infection. A better understanding of the pathogenic cascade of Acanthamoeba keratitis may lead to new techniques to prevent and treat parasitic corneal infections.
