Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a sight-threating infection of the cornea that mostly affects contact lens wearers. Until now, AK treatment remains very difficult due to the existence of a highly resistant cyst stage in the life cycle of Acanthamoeba which is extremely resistant to most of the available anti-amoebic compounds. Moreover, current treatment of AK is usually based in the combination...

Free-living amoebas (AVLs), such as Acanthamoeba, Naegleria, Balamuthia, and Vermamoeba, have been identified in both natural man-made settings, hot springs spas. Naegleria fowleri causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis, while Acanthamoeba Balamuthia cause chronic granulomatous encephalitis. can also skin lesions amoebic keratitis. This study aimed to identify the presence of these protozoa ...

conclusions the results of the present study revealed that soil resources of these areas were contaminated with opportunistic amoebas such as acanthamoeba and hartmannella spp. and this may lead to severe diseases in high-risk people, such as immunocompromised patients. background free-living amoebas are very abundant in nature, especially in water and soil. some species of amoebas cause seriou...

The amphizoic protozoa Acanthamoeba species are able to be free-living amoebae in environment or as parasites in humans and animals. These species comprise nearly 30 species and they have an increased role as human pathogens causing encephalitis in the nervous system or keratitis in the eyes. In diagnosis of a clinical sample of eye contact lens, light microscopy showed a heavy growth of amoebo...

Background Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) is a pathogenic bacterium that causes leprosy. The presence of M. leprae in the environment is supported by microorganisms that act as the new host for M. leprae. Acanthamoeba's potential to be a host of M. leprae in the environment. Acanthamoeba sp. is Free Living Amoeba (FLA) that classified as holozoic, saprophytic, and saprozoic. The existence of ...

To determine the pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba spp. isolated in Korea and to develop a isoenzymatic maker, the mortality rate of infected mice, in vitro cytotoxicity against target cells and isoenzyme band patterns were observed. Five isolates of Acanthamoeba spp. (YM-2, YM-3, YM-4, YM-5, and YM-7) were used in this study as well as three reference Acanthamoeba spp. (A. culbertsoni, A. hatchett...

I ntraocular spread of Acanthamoeba after keratitis is rare, being previously documented and microbiologically confirmed in 1 case of chorioretinitis and 1 case of endophthalmitis. Both occurred several months following penetrating keratoplasty (PK), were initially treated as suspected sterile inflammations, did not receive specific oral or intraocular treatment for Acanthamoeba, and finally re...

The DNA sequences required for faithful initiation of ribosomal RNA transcription were determined. BAL-31 digestion was used to modify the rDNA template by introducing deletions from its 3'- and 5'-ends. The resulting mutant DNAs were tested for template activity individually or in competition with wild type utilizing an in vitro transcription system from Acanthamoeba castellanii. The results i...

background: acanthamoeba keratitis (ak) is potentially a sight-threatening infection and its treatment is challenging. this is mainly due to presence of resistant cyst form. indeed, cysts are highly resistant to current available drugs. chemical drugs are toxic to human keratocytes. it should also be mentioned that most available anti- acanthamoeba drugs are poorly cysticidal, in iran and world...

Free-living amoebae of the Acanthamoeba species are the causative agent of Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), a sight-threatening corneal infection that causes severe pain and a characteristic ring-shaped corneal infiltrate. Innate immune responses play an important role in resistance against AK. The aim of this study is to determine if Toll-like receptors (TLRs) on corneal epithelial cells are activ...