The genus Naegleria is a taxonomic subfamily consisting of 47 free-living amoebae. The genus can be found in warm aqueous or soil habitats worldwide. The species Naegleria fowleri is probably the best-known species of this genus. As a facultative parasite, the protist is not dependent on hosts to complete its life cycle. However, it can infect humans by entering the nose during water contact, such as swimming, and travel along the olfactory nerve to the brain. There it causes a purulent meningitis (primary amoebic meningoencephalitis or PAME). Symptoms are severe and death usually occurs within the first week. PAME is a frightening infectious disease for which there is neither a proven cure nor a vaccine. In order to contain the disease and give patients any chance to survival, action must be taken quickly. A rapid diagnosis is therefore crucial. PAME is diagnosed by the detection of amoebae in the liquor and later in the cerebrospinal fluid. For this purpose, CSF samples are cultured and stained and finally examined microscopically. Molecular techniques such as PCR or ELISA support the microscopic analysis and secure the diagnosis.

Naegleria属是一个分类亚科，由 47 种自由生活的变形虫组成。该属可以在世界各地温暖的水生或土壤生境中找到。福氏耐格里阿米巴（Naegleria fowleri）物种可能是该属中最著名的物种。作为兼性寄生虫，原生生物不依赖宿主来完成其生命周期。然而，它可以通过在接触水（例如游泳）时进入鼻子来感染人类，并沿着嗅觉神经传播到大脑。它会导致化脓性脑膜炎（原发性阿米巴脑膜脑炎或 PAME）。症状严重，通常在第一周内死亡。PAME 是一种可怕的传染病，目前尚无有效的治疗方法，也没有疫苗。为了控制疾病并给患者生存的机会，必须迅速采取行动。因此，快速诊断至关重要。PAME 通过检测液体中的阿米巴原虫以及随后检测脑脊液中的阿米巴原虫来诊断。为此，对脑脊液样本进行培养和染色，最后进行显微镜检查。PCR 或 ELISA 等分子技术支持微观分析并确保诊断。