title: Presence of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae strains from well water samples in Guinea-Bissau.
abstract: Free-living amoebae (FLA) include opportunistic pathogens such as Naegleria fowleri, Balamuthia mandrillaris, and the genera Sappinia and Acanthamoeba. In this study, a survey was conducted in order to evaluate the presence of potentially pathogenic amoebic strains in water samples collected from wells located in the western part of Guinea-Bissau. The samples were left to precipitate for 48 hours and then the sediments were seeded on non-nutrient agar plates containing Escherichia coli spread and cultures were checked daily for the presence of FLA. Identification of FLA strains was based on the morphological and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the 18S rDNA or 16S mitochondrial rDNA genes in the case of Naegleria and Balamuthia genera, respectively. In the case of positive samples of Acanthamoeba, strains were further classified at the genotype level by sequencing the diagnostic fragment 3 (DF3) region located in the 18S rDNA gene as previously described. Sappinia sp. was not isolated during the study and thus, no molecular analysis was performed for this genus. The obtained results revealed the presence of Acanthamoeba (genotypes T3 and T4), Naegleria fowleri, and Balamuthia mandrillaris. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating the presence of FLA in water bodies from Guinea-Bissau and the first report on the isolation of Balamuthia mandrillaris from environmental sources in Africa.
authors.forename: Rocío A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Baquero
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reyes-Batlle
authors.forename: Graciela G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Nicola
authors.forename: Carmen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Martín-Navarro
authors.forename: Atteneri
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López-Arencibia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guillermo Esteban
authors.forename: Basilio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Valladares
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez-Carretero
authors.forename: José E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Piñero
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lorenzo-Morales
mesh_terms: D000562:Amebiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D059611:Balamuthia mandrillaris / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000469:parasitology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D020459:Genes, rRNA / Q000276:immunology*; D006169:Guinea-Bissau / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D016848:Naegleria fowleri / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011634:Public Health; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D060766:Drinking Water
keywords: Acanthamoeba,; Balamuthia mandrillaris,; Genotype,; Guinea-Bissau; Naegleria,; Well water,