[First isolation in Italy of Naegleria australiensis (De Jonckheere, 1981)].
An epidemiological investigation was carried out in Northern Italian spa to detect presence and incidence of free-living amoebae, mostly belonging to amphizoic species Acanthamoeba and Naegleria. Seven pathogenic strains of Naegleria spp. were isolated. Morpho-biological characterization and indirect immunofluorescence assays showed that all these strains belong to N. australiensis, a new pathogenic species. Such a species could induce, along with N. fowleri and Acanthamoeba spp., fatal meningo-encephalitis in man and other mammals.
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009253:Naegleria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity
Primo isolamento in Italia di Naegleria australiensis (De Jonckheere, 1981).