title: Status of free-living amoebae (Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria fowleri, Balamuthia mandrillaris) in drinking water supplies in Karachi, Pakistan.
abstract: The ability of pathogenic free-living amoebae to produce infections is a growing concern. In this study, we investigated the presence of free-living amoebae (Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria fowleri, Balamuthia mandrillaris) in drinking water supplies in Karachi, Pakistan. Fifty-two domestic tap water samples were examined. Amoebae were identified by morphological characteristics and polymerase chain reaction. Thirty percent of the examined samples were positive for Acanthamoeba spp., 8% for N. fowleri while B. mandrillaris were not recovered. Additionally we examined secretory IgA antibody to Acanthamoeba and B. mandrillaris. Acanthamoeba antibody prevalence rate was 100% in both males and females, while B. mandrillaris antibody prevalence rate was 5.5% in males only (females were negative). Our findings suggest that free-living amoebae are a potential health hazard in domestic water supplies in Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Farzana Abubakar
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Yousuf
authors.forename: Ruqaiyyah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.forename: Faysal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Subhani
authors.forename: Naveed Ahmed
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D059611:Balamuthia mandrillaris / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016848:Naegleria fowleri / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010154:Pakistan; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology*; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D014867:Water