introduction: the suspected water samples contaminated with legionella were enriched with acanthamoebae. small numbers of bacteria (not detectable by culture) can be multiplied in amoebae up to culturable level in co-culture condition. the conventional culture method for legionnaires' disease bacterium always suffers from low sensitivity. this co-culture method can significantly improve culture...

Exposure of axenic cultures of the amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi EGs to the thymidine analogue 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) resulted in the induction of virus-like particles (VLP) and various structures associated with their development and presumed transmission. Previously, VLP induction could be accomplished only by growing amoebae in the presence of living bacteria as a food source. A...

The study was aimed at determining whether potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae (FLA) and Legionella pneumophila can be found in lakes serving as a natural cooling system of a power plant. Water samples were collected from five lakes forming the cooling system of the power plants Pątnów and Konin (Poland). The numbers of investigated organisms were determined with the use of a very sensit...

Several thermal areas, also used for leisure purposes, may represent suitable habitats free-living amoebae (FLAs), but few studies have been carried out in search these organisms. The aim of this study was to assess the presence and distribution FLAs by culture detection molecular identification, over a one year-round sampling two sites Central Italy. Two geothermal springs (Site A Site B) were...

Free-living amoebae of the genus Naegleria have been recognized as etiologic agents of amoebic encephalitis, keratitis, otitis, lung lesions and other skin infections mainly in immuno-compromised individuals. Naegleria fowleri is the causative agent of primary amoebic meningo-encephalitis (PAM), a rapidly fatal disease of the central nervous system. The disease is generally acquired while swimm...

The imaging findings in four cases of a rare infection of the central nervous system caused by amoebae, Naeglaeria fowleri are presented. Naeglaeria fowleri are pathogenic free-living amoebae. They cause primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rapidly fatal disease of the central nervous system. The computed tomography brain findings in 3 (75%) of our cases of pan amoebic meningoencephalit...