Characterization of a New Pathogenic Acanthamoeba Species, A. byersi n. sp., Isolated from a Human with Fatal Amoebic Encephalitis

Qvarnstrom, Yvonne; Nerad, Thomas A.; Visvesvara, Govinda S.

doi:10.1111/jeu.12069

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Characterization of a New Pathogenic Acanthamoeba Species, A. byersi n. sp., Isolated from a Human with Fatal Amoebic Encephalitis

Published Date:

2013 Nov-Dec

Publisher's site:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jeu.12069 New Site Icon

Source:

J Eukaryot Microbiol. 60(6):626-633.

[PDF-596.20 KB]

Details:

Alternative Title:

J Eukaryot Microbiol

Personal Author:

Qvarnstrom, Yvonne ; Nerad, Thomas A. ; Visvesvara, Govinda S. ;

Description:

Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living amoebae that are ubiquitous in natural environments. They can cause cutaneous, nasopharyngeal, and disseminated infection, leading to granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) in immunocompromised individuals. In addition, they can cause amoebic keratitis in contact lens wearers. Acanthamoeba GAE is almost always fatal because of difficulty and delay in diagnosis and lack of optimal antimicrobial therapy. Here, we report the description of an unusual strain isolated from skin and brain of a GAE patient. The amoebae displayed large trophozoites and star-shaped cysts, characteristics for acanthamoebas belonging to morphology Group 1. However, its unique morphology and growth characteristics differentiated this new strain from other Group 1 species. DNA sequence analysis, secondary structure prediction, and phylogenetic analysis of the 18S rRNA gene confirmed that this new strain belonged to Group 1, but that it was distinct from the other sequence types within that group. Thus, we hereby propose the establishment of a new species, Acanthamoeba byersi n. sp. as well as a new sequence type, T18, for this new strain. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a Group 1 Acanthamoeba that is indisputably pathogenic in humans.

Subject:

[+]

Pubmed ID:

23879685

Pubmed Central ID:

PMC4618466

Document Type:

Journal Article

Funding:

CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States

Collection(s):

CDC Public Access

Main Document Checksum:

[+]

Supporting Files:

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