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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Discovery of New Intracellular Pathogens by Amoebal Coculture and Amoebal Enrichment Approaches
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Prokaryotic microbial ecology as an ecosurveillance tool for eukaryotic pathogen colonisation: Meiothermus and

Natalia Malinowski1, Matthew J Morgan2, Jason Wylie3

  • 1CSIRO Environment, Floreat Park, WA, Australia; Water Corporation of Western Australia, Leederville, WA, Australia.

Water Research
|March 12, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Naegleria fowleri, a cause of fatal brain infections, was found in drinking water systems. The study validates Meiothermus bacteria as a reliable biomarker for identifying sites where N. fowleri may colonize, aiding in public health surveillance.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental microbiology
  • Public health
  • Water safety

Background:

  • Naegleria fowleri causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a fatal disease.
  • DWDS are potential reservoirs for N. fowleri.
  • Previous biomarker studies for N. fowleri used small sample sizes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between Meiothermus and N. fowleri in a large-scale, operational drinking water distribution system (DWDS).
  • To validate Meiothermus as a predictive biomarker for N. fowleri colonization.

Main Methods:

  • Collected 232 water samples from five sites over three years (2016-2018).
  • Utilized molecular methods to detect N. fowleri and associated microbial communities.
  • Conducted inoculation experiments with field-collected biofilms.

Main Results:

  • Identified 29 positive N. fowleri samples.
  • Found significant association between N. fowleri presence and two Meiothermus species (M. chliarophilus and M. hypogaeus).
  • Demonstrated Meiothermus is required for N. fowleri growth in biofilms.

Conclusions:

  • Meiothermus species are reliable biomarkers for N. fowleri presence in DWDS.
  • Meiothermus can be used as a biological tool for N. fowleri surveillance.
  • This study provides robust evidence for biomarker utility in large-scale water systems.
Keywords:
AmoebaBiofilmDrinking water distribution systemNaegleria fowleri, MeiothermusPathogensWater

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