Amoebicidal effect of chlorine dioxide gas against pathogenic Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba polyphaga

The pathogenic free-living amoebae, Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba polyphaga, are found in freshwater, soil, and unchlorinated or minimally chlorinated swimming pools. N. fowleri and A. polyphaga are becoming problematic as water leisure activities and drinking water are sources of infection. Chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) gas is a potent disinfectant that is relatively harmless to humans at the concentration used for disinfection. In this study, we examined the amoebicidal effects of ClO₂ gas on N. fowleri and A. polyphaga. These amoebae were exposed to ClO₂ gas from a ready-to-use product (0.36 ppmv/h) for 12, 24, 36, and 48 h. Microscopic examination showed that the viability of N. fowleri and A. polyphaga was effectively inhibited by treatment with ClO₂ gas in a time-dependent manner. The growth of N. fowleri and A. polyphaga exposed to ClO₂ gas for 36 h was completely inhibited. In both cases, the mRNA levels of their respective actin genes were significantly reduced following treatment with ClO₂ gas. ClO₂ gas has an amoebicidal effect on N. fowleri and A. polyphaga. Therefore, ClO₂ gas has been proposed as an effective agent for the prevention and control of pathogenic free-living amoeba contamination.