Respiratory epithelial cells masquerading as agents of primary amebic meningoencephalitis

CSF does not normally contain motile cells within flagella or cilia. When motile cells are seen in the CSF, they may be incorrectly assumed to be amebae. We studied a patient with a traumatic mucocele, in whom motile ciliated respiratory epithelial cells were seen in the CSF and within a frontal lobe brain abscess.