Detection and quantification of human adenovirus genomes in Acanthamoeba isolated from swimming pools.

Rodrigo Staggemeier,Fernando R Spilki,Karin S Caumo,Marilise B Rott,Thalita Arantes

doi:10.1590/0001-3765201620150151

Rodrigo Staggemeier, Fernando R Spilki + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765201620150151

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Abstract

Acanthamoeba is the most common free-living environmental amoeba, it may serve as an important vehicle for various microorganisms living in the same environment, such as viruses, being pathogenic to humans. This study aimed to detect and quantify human adenoviruses (HAdV) in Acanthamoebas isolated from water samples collected from swimming pools in the city of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil. Free-living amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba were isolated from water samples, and isolates (n=16) were used to investigate the occurrence of HAdVs. HAdV detection was performed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). HAdVs were detected in 62.5% (10/16) of Acanthamoeba isolates, ranging from 3.24x103 to 5.14x105 DNA copies per milliliter of isolate. HAdV viral loads found in this study are not negligible, especially because HAdV infections are associated with several human diseases, including gastroenteritis, respiratory distress, and ocular diseases. These findings reinforce the concept that Acanthamoeba may act as a reservoir and promote HAdV transmission through water.

Highlights

Contamination of water sources by viruses, bacteria, and protozoa may cause outbreaks of severe disease, and the burden of gastroenteritis is a major public health problem worldwide (Scheid and Schwarzenberger 2012)
human adenoviruses (HAdV) genomes were detected in 62.5% (10/16) of Acanthamoeba isolates, ranging from 3.24x103 to 5.14x105 DNA copies per milliliter of isolate
HAdV and Acanthamoeba can be found in aquatic environments side by side (Lorenzo-Morales et al 2007), and according to recent reports it seems very likely that both microorganisms may interact (Scheid and Schwarzenberger 2012)

Summary

Introduction

Contamination of water sources by viruses, bacteria, and protozoa may cause outbreaks of severe disease, and the burden of gastroenteritis is a major public health problem worldwide (Scheid and Schwarzenberger 2012). Acanthamoeba is the most common free-living environmental amoebae and has a cosmopolitan distribution It has been isolated from a wide variety of habitats, such as freshwater lakes and rivers (Ettinger et al 2003, Lorenzo-Morales et al 2006), swimming pools (Gianinazzi et al 2009), drinking water systems (Bernander and Kalling 1998), hospital hot water systems (Rohr et al 1998), groundwater, bottled mineral water, and seawater (Lorenzo-Morales et al 2005a). Free-living amoebae can be pathogenic to humans and have been associated with subclinical infections, skin ulcerations, corneal infections, sinusitis, pneumonitis, and meningoencephalitis (Schuster and Visvesvara 2004)

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