Isolation and molecular characterization of Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia mandrillaris from combination shower units in Costa Rica

Retana-Moreira, Lissette; Abrahams-Sandí, Elizabeth; Cabello‐Vílchez, Alfonso Martín; Reyes-Batllé, María; Valladares, Basilio; Martínez-Carretero, Enrique; Piñero, José E.; Lorenzo‐Morales, Jacob

doi:10.1007/s00436-014-4083-6

Cited by 20 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Occurs in soil and causes amoebic meningoencephalitis. Limited evidence of occurrence in thermal water sources and hot water systems [246][247][248]. Weak [185,246,249] Waterborne NE…”

Section: Balamuthia Mandrillarismentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Change and Water-Related Infectious Diseases

Nichols

Lake²,

Heaviside

2018

Atmosphere

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Background: Water-related, including waterborne, diseases remain important sources of morbidity and mortality worldwide, but particularly in developing countries. The potential for changes in disease associated with predicted anthropogenic climate changes make water-related diseases a target for prevention. Methods: We provide an overview of evidence on potential future changes in water-related disease associated with climate change. Results: A number of pathogens are likely to present risks to public health, including cholera, typhoid, dysentery, leptospirosis, diarrhoeal diseases and harmful algal blooms (HABS). The risks are greatest where the climate effects drive population movements, conflict and disruption, and where drinking water supply infrastructure is poor. The quality of evidence for water-related disease has been documented. Conclusions: We highlight the need to maintain and develop timely surveillance and rapid epidemiological responses to outbreaks and emergence of new waterborne pathogens in all countries. While the main burden of waterborne diseases is in developing countries, there needs to be both technical and financial mechanisms to ensure adequate quantities of good quality water, sewage disposal and hygiene for all. This will be essential in preventing excess morbidity and mortality in areas that will suffer from substantial changes in climate in the future.Atmosphere 2018, 9, 385 2 of 60 which do not suffer the consequences of extreme events to the same extent [4]. Due to the lifetime of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and the timescales associated with ocean warming, even if global CO 2 emissions were curtailed immediately, the effects on the earth's climate, including increasing temperatures and sea level rise would continue for a number of decades before starting to plateau [2]. However, this should be seen as a general call to action to reduce emissions as soon as possible, given that the impacts are likely to extend beyond current conditions and there are indications that economic investment now will be likely to reduce costs later [5]. There is also a need to develop adaptations to cope with changes in climate. Recent research highlighting the health benefits of limiting future temperature rises to the more ambitious target of 1.5 • C rather than 2 • C, in line with the Paris agreement of 2016, further emphasises the need to limit emissions [6].Climate change affects health in a number of ways, and the impacts vary both geographically and between different populations. A growing and ageing population in much of the world means that the proportion of the population who are vulnerable to the effects of climate change will increase in the future [7]. The most direct impacts from climate change are from the effects of high temperatures, and from acute impacts relating to extreme events such as storms, floods and heatwaves. These physical or meteorological stressors can produce direct health effects, such as physical injury, illness, or mental health impacts du...

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“…Occurs in soil and causes amoebic meningoencephalitis. Limited evidence of occurrence in thermal water sources and hot water systems [246][247][248]. Weak [185,246,249] Waterborne NE…”

Section: Balamuthia Mandrillarismentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Change and Water-Related Infectious Diseases

Nichols

Lake²,

Heaviside

2018

Atmosphere

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“…Some authors have also suggested that H. pylori could survive adverse environmental conditions by being attached to biofilms or associated to free-living amoebae (FLA) (Winiecka-Krusnell et al, 2002;Watson et al, 2004;Percival and Thomas, 2009). FLA, such as Acanthamoeba, Naegleria, Vermamoeba or Balamuthia, are ubiquitous protozoa commonly found in water (Sheehan et al, 2003;Magnet et al, 2012;Retana-Moreira et al, 2014;Niyyati et al, 2015;Sente et al, 2016). They have two life cycle stages: the trophozoite, a metabolic active form, and the cyst, a resting form.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection of viable Helicobacter pylori inside free‐living amoebae in wastewater and drinking water samples from Eastern Spain

Moreno-Mesonero

Moreno

Alonso

et al. 2017

Environmental Microbiology

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Helicobacter pylori is one of the most concerning emerging waterborne pathogens. It has been suggested that it could survive in water inside free-living amoebae (FLA), but nobody has studied this relationship in the environment yet. Thus, we aimed to detect viable H. pylori cells from inside FLA in water samples. Sixty-nine wastewater and 31 drinking water samples were collected. FLA were purified and identified by PCR and sequencing. For exclusively detecting H. pylori inside FLA, samples were exposed to sodium hypochlorite and assayed by specific PMA-qPCR, DVC-FISH and culture. FLA were detected in 38.7% of drinking water and 79.7% of wastewater samples, even after disinfection. In wastewater, Acanthamoeba spp. and members of the family Vahlkampfiidae were identified. In drinking water, Acanthamoeba spp. and Echinamoeba and/or Vermamoeba were present. In 39 (58.2%) FLA-positive samples, H. pylori was detected by PMA-qPCR. After DVC-FISH, 21 (31.3%) samples harboured viable H. pylori internalized cells. H. pylori was cultured from 10 wastewater samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report that demonstrates that H. pylori can survive inside FLA in drinking water and wastewater, strongly supporting the hypothesis that FLA could play an important role in the transmission of H. pylori to humans.

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“…The major reservoir for the organism is soil; organisms have been isolated from garden soil, mud baths and potted plants . The organism has also been identified in domestic water‐based environments, including faucets, showerheads and bathtubs . Our patient has been an avid gardener, and garden soil is the suspected source of her exposure to this organism.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…10 -13 The organism has also been identified in domestic water-based environments, including faucets, showerheads and bathtubs. 10,14 Our patient has been an avid gardener, and garden soil is the suspected source of her exposure to this organism. Transmission of free-living ameba from the environment to hosts usually occurs via skin breakage or via the respiratory system.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Centrofacial Balamuthiasis: case report of a rare cutaneous amebic infection

et al. 2016

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Free‐living amebae are ubiquitous in our environment, but rarely cause cutaneous infection. Balamuthia mandrillaris has a predilection for infecting skin of the central face. Infection may be restricted to the skin or associated with life‐threatening central nervous system (CNS) involvement. We report a case of a 91‐year‐old woman, who presented with a non‐healing red plaque over her right cheek. Several punch biopsies exhibited non‐specific granulomatous inflammation without demonstrable fungi or mycobacteria in histochemical stains. She was treated empirically for granulomatous rosacea, but the lesion continued to progress. A larger incisional biopsy was performed in which amebae were observed in hematoxylin‐eosin stained sections. These were retrospectively apparent in the prior punch biopsy specimens. Immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction studies identified the organisms as Balamuthia mandrillaris. Cutaneous infection by B. mandrillaris is a rare condition that is sometimes complicated by life‐threatening CNS involvement and which often evades timely diagnosis due to its rarity and nonspecific clinical manifestations. Moreover, these amebae are easily overlooked in histopathologic sections because of their small number and their resemblance to histiocytes. Dermatopathologists should be familiar with the histopathologic appearance of these organisms and include balamuthiasis and other amebic infections in the differential diagnosis of granulomatous dermatitis.

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Isolation and molecular characterization of Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia mandrillaris from combination shower units in Costa Rica

Cited by 20 publications

References 32 publications

Climate Change and Water-Related Infectious Diseases

Climate Change and Water-Related Infectious Diseases

Detection of viable Helicobacter pylori inside free‐living amoebae in wastewater and drinking water samples from Eastern Spain

Centrofacial Balamuthiasis: case report of a rare cutaneous amebic infection

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