title: Morphological and Molecular Survey of Naegleria spp. in Water Bodies Used for Recreational Purposes in Rasht city, Northern Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Naegleria spp. is a free-living amoeba of which some species including N. fowleri and N. australeinsis are highly pathogenic in human and animals. These widespread amoebae could be found in different environmental sources particularly in aquatic resources of tropical and subtropical regions. The most important source of infection is via recreational water contact. Due to the lack of thorough research regarding species of Naegleria spp. in aquatic sources, the present study was conducted.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, 60 samples were collected from recreational water resources of Rasht city, Guilan province, north of Iran. After filtering and culturing the samples, plates were examined by microscopic method and according to the page criteria. DNA of vahlkampfiid-positive samples were then extracted using phenol-chlorophorm method. Amoebae genus was identified by targeting the ITS-region and sequencing based-approaches.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine (15%) samples out of a 60 total samples were positive for Naegleria spp. of which seven belonged to potentially pathogenic N. australiensis. Two other strains were belonged to non-pathogenic N. pagei.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present research was the first report of occurrence of N. australiensis and N. pagei in Rasht city, north Iran. This study reflects the occurrence of Naegleria spp. in water sources of Guilan Province, Iran.
authors.affiliation: Dep. of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran-Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niyyati
authors.affiliation: Dep. of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran-Iran.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lasjerdi
authors.affiliation: English Language Dep., School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran-Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zarein-Dolab
authors.affiliation: Dep. of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran-Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nazar
authors.affiliation: Dep. of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran-Iran.
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Behniafar
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mahmoudi
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nazemalhosseini Mojarad
keywords: Iran; Naegleria; Water
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