title: Repertoire of free-living protozoa in contact lens solutions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The repertoire of free-living protozoa in contact lens solutions is poorly known despite the fact that such protozoa may act as direct pathogens and may harbor intra-cellular pathogens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2009 and 2014, the contact lens solutions collected from patients presenting at our Ophthalmology Department for clinically suspected keratitis, were cultured on non-nutrient agar examined by microscope for the presence of free-living protozoa. All protozoa were identified by 18S rRNA gene sequencing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 20 of 233 (8.6 %) contact lens solution specimens collected from 16 patients were cultured. Acanthamoeba amoeba in 16 solutions (80 %) collected from 12 patients and Colpoda steini, Cercozoa sp., Protostelium sp. and a eukaryotic more closely related to Vermamoeba sp., were each isolated in one solution. Cercozoa sp., Colpoda sp., Protostelium sp. and Vermamoeba sp. are reported for the first time as contaminating contact lens solutions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The repertoire of protozoa in contact lens solutions is larger than previously known.
authors: Pôle des Maladies Infectieuses, Hôpital de la Timone, Marseille, France.
authors: Ibtissem
authors: I
authors: Bouchoucha
authors: Ophthalmology Department, Hôpital de la Timone, Marseille, France.
authors: Aurore
authors: A
authors: Aziz
authors: Ophthalmology Department, Hôpital de la Timone, Marseille, France.
authors: Louis
authors: L
authors: Hoffart
authors: Aix Marseille Université, URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD198, Inserm 1095, 13005, Marseille, France. michel.drancourt@univ-amu.fr.|Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes, Faculté de Médecine, 27, Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille cedex 5, France. michel.drancourt@univ-amu.fr.
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Drancourt
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016841:Amoebida / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018639:Contact Lens Solutions / Q000032:analysis*; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007634:Keratitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000469:parasitology*; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D018639:Contact Lens Solutions; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
keywords: Acanthamoeba; Contact lens solution; Keratitis; Protozoa