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Origin and evolution of the worldwide distributed pathogenic amoeboflagellate Naegleria fowleri

Johan F De Jonckheere1

  • 1Research Unit for Tropical Diseases, de Duve Institute, Brussels, Belgium. johan.dejonckheere@uclouvain.be

Infection, Genetics and Evolution : Journal of Molecular Epidemiology and Evolutionary Genetics in Infectious Diseases
|August 17, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Naegleria fowleri causes deadly primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. This study details the global distribution and genetic types of this warm-water pathogen, aiding in understanding its spread.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pathogen Research
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Naegleria fowleri is a globally distributed pathogen responsible for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
  • PAM is a rapidly fatal infection caused by this free-living amoeboflagellate found in warm water.
  • Distinguishing between N. fowleri types is possible through analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 1 and 5.8S rDNA.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the global distribution and genetic diversity of Naegleria fowleri.
  • To identify the prevalence of different N. fowleri types across continents.
  • To explore the evolutionary origins of pathogenic N. fowleri.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of genetic markers, specifically the internal transcribed spacer 1 and 5.8S rDNA, to differentiate N. fowleri types.
  • Review of existing data on N. fowleri detection in various geographical regions.

Main Results:

  • Seven of the eight known N. fowleri types have been identified in Europe.
  • The USA has three types, one of which is unique to the region.
  • Specific N. fowleri types show distinct geographical distributions in Oceania, Japan, and mainland Asia, with overlap in Europe and the USA.
  • Evidence suggests pathogenic N. fowleri evolved from Naegleria lovaniensis in the Americas.
  • No differences in virulence have been observed between N. fowleri types.

Conclusions:

  • Naegleria fowleri exhibits significant global genetic diversity with distinct regional prevalence.
  • Understanding the distribution of N. fowleri types is crucial for public health surveillance.
  • The evolutionary origin points to the American continent for the development of pathogenic N. fowleri.

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