Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Free-Living Amoebae from Different Water Sources in Italy

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Margherita Montalbano Di Filippo⁴  Maristella Santoro⁴  Piero Lovreglio³  Rosa Monno¹  Carmen Capolongo¹  Carla Calia¹  Luciana Fumarola¹  Rossella D𠆚lfonso²  Federica Berrilli⁴  David Di Cave⁴  Roberto Spurio⁵  Duarte Tito⁵  Letizia Brandi⁵ 

[1] Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organ, University of Bari, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; E-Mails:;Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; E-Mail:;Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; E-Mail:;Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; E-Mails:Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;

关键词: free-living amoebae;    molecular characterization;    water sources;    Italy;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph120403417

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are protozoa ubiquitous in Nature, isolated from a variety of environments worldwide. In addition to their natural distribution, some species have been found to be pathogenic to humans. In the present study a survey was conducted in order to evaluate the presence and to characterize at molecular level the isolates of amoebic organisms collected from different water sources in Italy. A total of 160 water samples were analyzed by culture and microscopic examination. FLA were found in 46 (28.7%) of the investigated water samples. Groundwater, well waters, and ornamental fountain waters were the sources with higher prevalence rates (85.7%, 50.0%, and 45.9%, respectively). Identification of FLA species/genotypes, based on the 18S rDNA regions, allowed to identify 18 (39.1%) Acanthamoeba isolates (genotypes T4 and T15) and 21 (45.6%) Vermamoeba vermiformis isolates. Other FLA species, including Vahlkampfia sp. and Naegleria spp., previously reported in Italy, were not recovered. The occurrence of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae in habitats related to human population, as reported in the present study, supports the relevance of FLA as a potential health threat to humans.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.