BACKGROUND Geothermal waters could be suitable niches for thermophilic free living amoebae including Naegleria and Hartmannella. Ardebil Province, northwest Iran is popular for having many hot springs for recreational and health purposes activity. The present research is the first molecular based investigation regarding the presence of Naegleria and Hartmannella in the hot springs of Ardebil Pr...

The potential role of inhaled protozoa as a niche for intrapulmonary replication of Legionella pneumophila was investigated in vivo with mutant strains of L. pneumophila which have reduced virulence for the amoeba Hartmannella vermiformis. L. pneumophila AA488 and AA502 were derived from wild-type strain AA100 after transposon mutagenesis. These mutants have reduced virulence for H. vermiformis...

Amoeba-related diseases have been related with the presence of certain amoebas in domestic water, including drinking water. Biofilms water distribution systems are able to support amoeba growth by providing a food source and protecting them against disinfectants. Additionally, can be favoured warm temperatures climate change appears contribute its geographic spread. The association potential pa...

It is unclear how the water-based pathogen, Legionella pneumophila (Lp), and associated free-living amoeba (FLA) hosts change or are changed by the microbial composition of drinking water (DW) biofilm communities. Thus, this study characterized the bacterial community structure over a 7-month period within mature (> 600-day-old) copper DW biofilms in reactors simulating premise plumbing and ass...

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are protozoa ubiquitous in Nature, isolated from a variety of environments worldwide. In addition to their natural distribution, some species have been found to be pathogenic to humans. In the present study a survey was conducted in order to evaluate the presence and to characterize at molecular level the isolates of amoebic organisms collected from different water sou...

Infections with filamentous fungi are common to all animals, but attention is rising especially due to the increasing incidence and high mortality rates observed in immunocompromised human individuals. Here, Aspergillus fumigatus and other members of its genus are the leading causative agents. Attributes like their saprophytic life-style in various ecological niches coupled with nutritional fle...

In the present study, the occurrence of free-living protozoa (FLP) and foodborne bacterial pathogens on dishcloths was investigated. Dishcloths form a potentially important source of cross-contamination with FLP and foodborne pathogens in food-related environments. First various protocols for recovering and quantifying FLP from dishcloths were assessed. The stomacher technique is recommended to...

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...

Drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) can host pathogenic amoebae, but the role of biofilms in supporting occurrence these organisms needs to be fully explored UK systems. The presence amoebae and associated bacteria attached inner pipe surfaces was studied an experimental full-scale chlorinated system UK. Quantitative polymerase change reaction (qPCR) used identify quantify whilst bacteri...