title: Surveillance and evaluation of the infection risk of free-living amoebae and Legionella in different aquatic environments.
abstract: Free-living amoebae (FLA) are ubiquitous in various aquatic environments. Several amoebae species are pathogenic and host other pathogens such as Legionella, but the presence of FLA and its parasites as well as the related infection risk are not well known. In this study, the presence of pathogenic FLA and Legionella in various water bodies was investigated. Water samples were collected from a river, intake areas of drinking water treatment plants, and recreational hot spring complexes in central and southern Taiwan. A total of 140 water samples were tested for the presence of Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria spp., Vermamoeba vermiformis, and Legionella. In addition, phylogenetic characteristics and water quality parameters were also assessed. The pathogenic genotypes of FLA included Acanthamoeba T4 and Naegleria australiensis, and both were abundant in the hot spring water. In contrast, Legionella pneumophila was detected in different aquatic environments. Among the FLA assessed, V. vermiformis was most likely to coexist with Legionella spp. The total bacteria level was associated with the presence of FLA and Legionella especially in hot spring water. Taken together, FLA contamination in recreational hot springs and drinking water source warrants more attention on potential legionellosis and amoebae infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Wen-Tsai
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: bmhsu@ccu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Bing-Mu
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, 252 Wu Hsing Street, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Tien-Yu
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Life Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Institute of Biomedical Science, National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Tsui-Kang
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hsu
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.affiliation: Department of Life Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Institute of Biomedical Science, National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Kuan-Hao
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Shiou-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Safety Health and Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yu-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Cheng-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000656:Amoeba / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D045482:Hot Springs / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D007875:Legionella / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013624:Taiwan; D014871:Water Microbiology; D018508:Water Purification
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water
keywords: Amoeba; Aquatic environments; Hot spring; Legionella; Pathogenic