title: Vannellid Species Isolated from Freshwater Source in a Park in Jamaica, West Indies.
abstract: Free-living amoebae (FLA) occupy a wide range of freshwater, marine, and soil habitats, and are opportunistic pathogens in human beings. While Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria fowleri, and Balamuthia mandrillaris are well-known opportunistic organisms, Vannella epipetala is nonpathogenic. Sediments were collected from a freshwater source from a park in Jamaica to investigate the presence of FLA. Acanthamoeba and Naegleria spp. were not recovered; however, a Vannellid species identified by microscopy and PCR analysis as V. epipetala was isolated. These nonpathogens pose a threat to human beings as they may act as Trojan horses for microsporidian parasites and other pathogens, thereby facilitating their transmission to human beings.
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. ; Department of Microbiology, The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: Cheridah D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reyes-Batlle
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
authors.forename: Basilio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Valladares
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lindo
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lorenzo-Morales
keywords: Free-living amoebae (FLA); Jamaica; Vannella epipetala; West Indies; microsporidian parasites