title: Balamuthia and Acanthamoeba-binding antibodies in West African human sera.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Robert Koch Institute, Cellular Immunology Unit P22, Berlin, Germany. a.kiderlen@rki.de
authors.forename: Albrecht F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kiderlen
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Radam
authors.forename: Frederick L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: Edgard V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Adjogoua
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akoua-Koffi
authors.forename: Fabian H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Leendertz
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan