Acanthamoeba Belonging to T3, T4, and T11: Genotypes Isolated from Air‐Conditioning Units in Santiago, Chile

Abstract

Free-living amoebae (FLA) of the genus Acanthamoeba are widely distributed in the environment, in the air, soil, and water, and have also been isolated from air-conditioning units. The objective of this work was to investigate the presence of this genus of FLA in the air-conditioning equipment at the Institute of Public Health of Chile in Santiago, Chile. Water and air samples were collected from air-conditioning systems and were checked for the presence of Acanthamoeba spp. Positive samples were further classified at the genotype level after sequencing the highly variable diagnostic fragment 3 (DF3) region of the 18S rRNA gene. This is the first report of the T3, T4, and T11 genotypes of Acanthamoeba in air-conditioning units from Chile. Overall, the widespread distribution of potentially pathogenic Acanthamoeba strains in the studied source demands more awareness within the public and health professionals in Chile as this pathogen is emerging as a risk for human health worldwide.

A systematic analysis of Acanthamoeba genotype frequency correlated with source and pathogenicity: T4 is confirmed as a pathogen-rich genotype

“…A similar pattern has been documented in Hong Kong where T3 was found in the water supply of homes of AK sufferers all of whom had T4 infections (Booton et al 2002). The world-wide picture is incomplete but across the Pacific Ocean in Chile, T3 also dominated according to one study (Astorga et al 2011).…”

The Acanthamoeba spp. in Water Sources from Zanjan Province, Northwest of Iran

“…The food availability for the growth of Acanthamoeba spp and the resistance of the cyst stage of these amoebae to chlorination, ozonation and filtration by biofilm formation, probably creates the potential for high distribution of Acanthamoeba spp in the aquatic environments (25,(37)(38)(39). Thus, this alarmingly frequency of this amoeba in water resources represents a significant hazard for the high risk populations, including the contact lens wearers and immunocompromised individuals [13,21,26].…”

Morphological Features andIn VitroCytopathic Effect ofAcanthamoeba griffiniTrophozoites Isolated from a Clinical Case

“…Genotype T3 has been isolated from the environment in many countries including Brazil [46], Chile [47], Egypt [17], Hong Kong [27], Iran [48], Philippines [49], Malaysia [50], and Taiwan [51]. Further epidemiological studies and pathogenicity capacity of genotype T3 isolated should be carried out worldwide in order to reach further conclusions about the status of genotype T3 as a potential pathogen in both the environment and clinical cases.…”