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Genotyping of pathogenic Acanthamoebae isolated from clinical samples in Greece--report of a clinical isolate

G Spanakos1, K Tzanetou, D Miltsakakis

  • 1National School of Public Health, Department of Parasitology Entomology and Tropical Diseases, 196 Alexandras Ave. Athens, Greece. grspan@yahoo.com

Parasitology International
|February 24, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Acanthamoeba, a genus of amoebae, can cause serious eye infections like amoebic keratitis. This study confirms Acanthamoeba lenticulata (T5 genotype) can cause keratitis, though its presence in clinical cases remains less common than in the environment.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba are known human pathogens.
  • They are a significant cause of microbial keratitis, an infection of the cornea.
  • Fifteen Acanthamoeba genotypes have been identified, with varying pathogenic potentials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the pathogenic potential of different Acanthamoeba genotypes.
  • To identify the genotypes responsible for amoebic keratitis cases in Greece.
  • To compare the prevalence of specific genotypes in clinical versus environmental samples.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of Acanthamoeba isolates from five human keratitis cases in Greece.
  • Genotyping of the isolates using sequence typing.
  • Comparison of identified genotypes with existing data on environmental Acanthamoeba populations.

Main Results:

  • Four out of five keratitis cases were caused by the T4 genotype.
  • One case was attributed to Acanthamoeba lenticulata (T5 genotype).
  • Acanthamoeba lenticulata is the second most frequent genotype in environmental samples but rarely identified in clinical cases.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first confirmation that Acanthamoeba lenticulata can cause human keratitis.
  • The underrepresentation of Acanthamoeba lenticulata in clinical samples compared to environmental sources requires further investigation.
  • Understanding genotype-specific pathogenicity is crucial for diagnosing and treating Acanthamoeba infections.

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