Detection of Hartmannella sp, a free-living amoeba from Sungai Setiu, Terengganu

Hartmannella sp is one of the free-living amoebae that have the ability to infect animal tissues because it has been found in human's nasal mucosa, dog's bronchial and turkey's intestine. Treatment for diseases inflicted by free-living amoebae is difficult because most of them infect and damage the host's tissues, so preventive measures are better to take rather than to cure the diseases. In this study, water taken from several stations namely Kampung Padang, Kampung Besut, Ibu Bekalan Setiu, Kampung Tasik, Kampung Guntung, Kampung Nyatoh, Kampung Penarik and Kampung Mangkok) along Sungai Setiu, Terengganu was examined for the presence of Hartmannella sp. The results of this study indicated that only Ibu Bekalan Setiu station was found positive to have the amoeba. Detail results on the water quality and nutrient contents measured in relation to the distribution of the amoeba at Ibu Bekalan Setiu station are presented and discussed.