title: Acanthamoeba species in Swimming Pools of Cairo, Egypt.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The free-living amoebae Acanthamoeba spp. have been recognized as etiologic agents of amoebic encephalitis, keratitis, otitis, lung lesions and other skin infections mainly in immuno-compromised individuals. The purpose of this study is to detect the presence of Acanthamoeba in swimming pools in Egypt using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Water samples were collected from 10 different swimming pools in Cairo, Egypt. Samples were cultured on non-nutrient agar for the detection of Acanthamoeba isolates that were confirmed by PCR amplification using genus specific primers. The molecularly confirmed Acanthamoeba isolates were morphologically identified to the species level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Members of genus Acanthamoeba were detected in 49.2% of the examined swimming-pool water samples. Morphologically, six Acanthamoeba species were isolated from the examined swimming pool water namely A. polyphaga, A.castellanii, A. rhysodes, A. mauritaniensis, A. royreba and A. triangularis. All the identified species of Acanthamoeba were molecularly confirmed to be related to the genus Acanthamoeba.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The isolated species of Acanthamoeba could provoke variable degrees of infections to the swimmers. The culture method is cheaper and easier than PCR techniques that are faster for the detection of free-living amoebae.
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Laboratory, Water Pollution Research Department, NRC, 12622 Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Herrawy
authors.affiliation: Therapeutic Chemistry Department, NRC, 12622 Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahgat
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Abd-Elhafez
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ameen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ashour
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Laboratory, Water Pollution Research Department, NRC, 12622 Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Wafaa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hikal
keywords: Acanthamoeba; Cyst morphology; Egypt; PCR; Swimming pools
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