title: Genotyping of Acanthamoeba isolates from clinical and environmental specimens in Iran.
abstract: In this study, 15 Acanthamoeba isolates from AK patients and 10 environmental samples (water, soil and animal-origin samples) were classified at the genotype level based on the sequence analysis of the Diagnostic Fragment 3 (DF3) of Acanthamoeba small subunit rRNA gene. The obtained results revealed that most of these Acanthamoeba strains belonged to genotype T4 both in clinical and environmental samples. The presence T11 genotype in clinical samples was also revealed after the genotyping analysis and to our knowledge this is the first report of T11 genotype in Iran. Moreover, the isolation of T4 genotype from cow faeces in this study highlights a possible transmission of Acanthamoeba through animal faeces in Iran. Overall, the widespread distribution of pathogenic Acanthamoeba T4 across the environmental sources and the increasing number of contact lens wearers in Iran, demands more awareness within the public and health professionals as this pathogen is emerging as a risk for human health in Iran and worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niyyati
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lorenzo-Morales
authors.forename: Sasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rezaie
authors.forename: Firoozeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohebali
authors.forename: Amir H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Maghsood
authors.forename: Afsaneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Motevalli-Haghi
authors.forename: Carmen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Martín-Navarro
authors.forename: Shohreh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farnia
authors.forename: Basilio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Valladares
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rezaeian
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015823:Acanthamoeba Keratitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D018639:Contact Lens Solutions; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000469:parasitology; D003315:Cornea / Q000469:parasitology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018639:Contact Lens Solutions; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012987:Soil; D014867:Water