The genotypic characterisation of Acanthamoeba isolates from human ocular samples.
BACKGROUND
We characterised 37 amoebae cultured from corneal scrapings, contact lenses or lens case solutions of patients with suspected Acanthamoeba keratitis.


METHODS
The isolates were identified by their morphology and by PCR targeting the Acanthamoeba nuclear small-subunit rRNA gene. Acanthamoeba isolates were genotyped by DNA sequence analysis.


RESULTS
The 37 isolates comprised 35 Acanthamoeba, one Hartmannella and one Vahlkampfia. Ten Acanthamoeba isolates were shown to be responsible for keratitis.


CONCLUSIONS
Genotype T4 was the only Acanthamoeba genotype responsible for keratitis in this study, and represented 79% of non-pathogenic isolates.
Yera
H
H
Laboratoire de Parasitologie Mycologie, Hôpital Cochin, 27 rue du Faubourg Saint Jacques, 75014 Paris, France. helene.yera@cch.aphp.fr
Zamfir
O
O
Bourcier
T
T
Viscogliosi
E
E
Noël
C
C
Dupouy-Camet
J
J
Chaumeil
C
C
D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015823:Acanthamoeba Keratitis / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D018639:Contact Lens Solutions; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000469:parasitology; D003315:Cornea / Q000469:parasitology; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
D018639:Contact Lens Solutions