Abstract
Acanthamoeba spp. are widely distributed in the environment and have been reported to be causative agents of lethal encephalitis and keratitis. In this study, thirty water samples from the Caspian Sea were collected during 2018. Water samples were filtrated and the filtrate used for culture. The positive samples were subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and nucleotide sequencing. Free-living amoebae were identified in 50% (15/30) of the seawater samples. DNA sequencing revealed the presence of T2 and T4 genotypes. The results of the present study confirmed the presence of potentially pathogenic strains in seawater in this area. This awareness should be raised among environmental and public health professionals.
Highlights
Acanthamoeba, a free-living amoeba, can be present in different environmental sources, including air, soil, dust, drinking water, seawater, and recreational water [1,2,3]
Acanthamoeba is the causative agent of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) and amoebic keratitis (AK)
The presence of Acanthamoeba was investigated in many water samples, which are frequently exposed to humans [4,6]
Summary
Acanthamoeba, a free-living amoeba, can be present in different environmental sources, including air, soil, dust, drinking water, seawater, and recreational water [1,2,3]. Acanthamoeba could harbor some pathogenic organisms such as Helicobacter, Pseudomonas, and Legionella [5]. The presence of Acanthamoeba was investigated in many water samples, which are frequently exposed to humans [4,6]. Tourists frequently visit the coastal area of the Caspian Sea in Guilan province, especially during the summer. Even though Acanthamoeba was investigated in some surface water in Guilan province [7,8,9], there is still a lack of knowledge about the prevalence and pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba in seawater in this area
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