Balamuthia and Acanthamoeba-binding antibodies in West African human sera.
Little is known about the prevalence of Balamuthia mandrillaris amoebae and Balamuthia amoebic encephalitis in Africa. As an approach, relative concentrations of amoebae-binding serum antibodies (Ab) were assessed by flow cytometry using formaldehyde-fixed B. mandrillaris, Acanthamoeba lenticulata 72-2 and Acanthamoeba castellanii 1BU amoebae for specific Ab capture (B.m.-Ab, A.l.-Ab, A.c.-Ab). One hundred and ninety-two sera from West African (Côte d'Ivoire) donors aged 11-95years (mean 38 a; 51% males), and living in villages surrounded by rainforest near the Liberian border, were tested and related to reference sera from Berlin. While B.m.-Ab tended to increase with donor age, A.l.-Ab and A.c.-Ab did not. Accordingly, B.m.-Ab correlated only weakly with A.l.-Ab or A.c.-Ab. Of the nine individuals with the highest B.m.-Ab concentrations, most were elderly (mean 58 a), male (78%), and professed intensive outdoor activity (hunting, farming). Only three of these sera also showed elevated A.l.-Ab, and none elevated A.c.-Ab.
Kiderlen
Albrecht F
AF
Robert Koch Institute, Cellular Immunology Unit P22, Berlin, Germany. a.kiderlen@rki.de
Radam
Elke
E
Schuster
Frederick L
FL
Adjogoua
Edgard V
EV
Akoua-Koffi
Chantal
C
Leendertz
Fabian H
FH
D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000276:immunology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000562:Amebiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D056894:Amoebozoa / Q000276:immunology*; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan