title: Identification of Acanthamoeba genotype T4 and Paravahlkampfia sp. from two clinical samples.
abstract: In this study, two free-living amoebae strains, Acanthamoeba genotype T4 and Paravahlkampfia sp., which were isolated from keratitis cases are presented. While the Acanthamoeba strain was isolated as a single agent, the Paravahlkampfia strain was found together with herpes simplex virus. Neither of the patients were contact lens wearers, but they did have a history of minor corneal trauma. Amoebae were detected on non-nutrient agar covered with Escherichia coli. Based on PCR-amplified 18S rRNA-gene analysis the first isolate was identified as Acanthamoeba genotype T4 and the second as Paravahlkampfia sp. In thermotolerance tests, the maximum temperature at which trophozoites continued to divide was determined as 37 degrees C for this Acanthamoeba strain and 35 degrees C for the Paravahlkampfia strain. To the best of our knowledge, the Acanthamoeba strain described herein is the second molecularly identified Acanthamoeba strain in an Acanthamoeba keratitis patient in Turkey. However, the Paravahlkampfia isolate is believed to be the first strain that has been isolated from a keratitis patient and has been molecularly differentiated from Vahlkampfia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Soykan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozkoc
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tuncay
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Songul Bayram
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Delibas
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ciler
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akisu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ozbek
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Durak
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, Clinical Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walochnik
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015823:Acanthamoeba Keratitis / Q000469:parasitology*; D000328:Adult; D000562:Amebiasis / Q000469:parasitology; D000656:Amoeba / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007634:Keratitis / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S