title: Isolation and identification of Acanthamoeba species from thermal spring environments in southern Taiwan.
abstract: Acanthamoeba species are free-living amoebae found in a range of environments. Within this genus, a number of species are recognized as human pathogens, potentially causing Acanthamoeba keratitis, granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, and chronic granulomatous lesions. In this study, 60 water samples were taken from four thermal spring recreation areas in southern Taiwan. We detected living Acanthamoeba spp. based on culture-confirmed detection combined with the molecular taxonomic identification method. Living Acanthamoeba spp. were detected in nine (15%) samples. The presence or absence of Acanthamoeba spp. in the water samples depended significantly on the pH value. The most frequently identified living Acanthamoeba genotype was T15 followed by T4, Acanthamoeba spp., and T2. Genotypes T2, T4, and T15 of Acanthamoeba, are responsible for Acanthamoeba keratitis as well as granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, and should therefore be considered a potential health risk associated with human activities in thermal spring environments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Po-Min
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Bing-Mu
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Nai-Hsiung
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kuan-Hao
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shih-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Kuang-Liang
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Yi-Chou
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015823:Acanthamoeba Keratitis / Q000469:parasitology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000469:parasitology; D005838:Genotype; D045482:Hot Springs / Q000737:chemistry / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000592:standards; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013624:Taiwan; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan