The distribution of Toxoplasma gondii genotypes varies from one geographic area to another. The present study aimed to determine T. gondii genotypes associated with human infection in Egypt. Individuals seropositive for anti-toxoplasma IgG and IgM (group I, n = 50) or for specific IgG only (group II, n = 50) were enrolled. Of the participants, 75 % were asymptomatic pregnant women. The others presented with lymphadenitis (n = 21), chorioretinitis (n = 3), and unexplained hepatomegaly (n = 1). Using nested PCR, T. gondii GRA6-coding fragment was amplified from DNA extracted from blood samples of participants. Amplification was successful in 12 samples with nonsignificant difference between both groups but with a significant association with the presence of toxoplasmosis-related manifestations. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of these samples revealed the presence of type I in seven samples and atypical types in five samples. Both typical and atypical strains were detected in individuals of both groups with no bias towards specific clinical presentation.
Members of the genus Acanthamoeba are common free-living amoebae that may be pathogenic to humans. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the presence of Acanthamoeba species in the Damanhour Drinking Water Treatment Plant (DWTP) before and after conventional drinking water treatment. Water samples were filtered through nitrocellulose membranes of 0.45 µm pore size, cultured on nonnutrient agar plates seeded with Escherichia coli, and incubated at 37°C. The obtained amoebae, which proved to be morphologically consistent with Acanthamoeba spp., were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The confirmed isolates of Acanthamoeba were morphologically identified to the species level, based on assessment of the size and shape of the endo-and ectocysts and the mean number of pores per cyst. The obtained results showed that members of the genus Acanthamoeba were isolated from 33.3% and 16.7% of inlet and outlet samples, respectively. Six different species of Acanthamoeba were morphologically identified. Species morphologically identified as Acanthamoeba castellanii, Acanthamoeba culbertsoni, and Acanthamoeba polyphaga were isolated from the "finished" water of DWTP. Such species may be pathogenic to humans. In conclusion, the conventional drinking water treatment steps did not remove all the detected species of Acanthamoeba in the inlet water, and about half of them could escape to completely treated and finished water. These species may cause human infections.
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