title: Free-living amoebae: what part do they play in healthcare-associated infections?
abstract: Free-living amoebae (FLA) are ubiquitous protozoa that do not require a host organism for survival. They are found in natural environments such as water or soil, and man-made environments including tap water or swimming pools, where they may interact with other micro-organisms, including bacteria, fungi and viruses. FLA can harbour micro-organisms including those found in hospital water systems, offering them protection against hostile conditions, providing a vehicle of dissemination, and enabling them to prepare for subsequent survival in macrophages. The interaction between Legionella pneumophila and FLA has been studied extensively; subsequent investigations have shown that FLA may serve as a reservoir for other bacteria including mycobacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, or even fungi and viruses. Amoebae found in hospital water systems can serve as a reservoir of potential pathogens and thus be indirectly related to healthcare-associated infections.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de parasitologie et mycologie médicale, Faculté de médecine et de pharmacie, Poitiers, France; Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267, Equipe Microbiologie de l'Eau, Poitiers, France. Electronic address: estelle.cateau@chu-poitiers.fr.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cateau
authors.affiliation: Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267, Equipe Microbiologie de l'Eau, Poitiers, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Delafont
authors.affiliation: Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267, Equipe Microbiologie de l'Eau, Poitiers, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hechard
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de parasitologie et mycologie médicale, Faculté de médecine et de pharmacie, Poitiers, France; Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267, Equipe Microbiologie de l'Eau, Poitiers, France.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rodier
mesh_terms: D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000656:Amoeba / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000382:microbiology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014871:Water Microbiology
keywords: Free-living amoebae; Healthcare-associated infections; Interactions; Micro-organisms; Water