Abstract:Substantial knowledge has accumulated on the microbiome of the hyperarid Atacama Desert during the last two decades; however, information on Atacama free-living amoebae (FLA) is limited and increasing efforts are required. FLA are polyphyletic heterotrophic naked or testate protists that feed on organic matter, fungi, protozoa, and bacteria and may disseminate infections. Amoebae in Chile are represented by 416 taxa and 64 genera, and 29 taxa have been identified in arid shrub lands at the southern limit of th… Show more
“…Two papers published in this Special Issue report the molecular identification of Acanthamoeba strains from two separate countries via partial 18S sequencing. These include new data on the presence of T4D strains in water and sediment from two rivers in the Atacama Desert, Chile [9], as well as an in-depth investigation of the genotypes (six in total) and allelic variants circulating in Italy, both in the environment and in clinical cases [10].…”
Some free-living amoebae can behave as opportunistic parasites, causing rare but dangerous diseases in humans and animals, primarily amoebic keratitis, with loss of vision, and encephalitis, which is almost always fatal [...]
“…Two papers published in this Special Issue report the molecular identification of Acanthamoeba strains from two separate countries via partial 18S sequencing. These include new data on the presence of T4D strains in water and sediment from two rivers in the Atacama Desert, Chile [9], as well as an in-depth investigation of the genotypes (six in total) and allelic variants circulating in Italy, both in the environment and in clinical cases [10].…”
Some free-living amoebae can behave as opportunistic parasites, causing rare but dangerous diseases in humans and animals, primarily amoebic keratitis, with loss of vision, and encephalitis, which is almost always fatal [...]
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