Free-living amoebae in water are hosts to many bacterial species living in such an environment. Such an association enables bacteria to select virulence factors and survive in adverse conditions. Waterborne mycobacteria (WBM) are important sources of community- and hospital-acquired outbreaks of nontuberculosis mycobacterial infections. However, the interactions between WBM and free-living amoe...

The ocular surface is continuously exposed to potential pathogens, including free-living amoebae. Acanthamoeba species are among the most ubiquitous amoebae, yet Acanthamoeba keratitis is remarkably rare. The pathogenesis of Acanthamoeba keratitis is a complex, sequential process. Here we show that Acanthamoeba keratitis is profoundly affected by mannosylated proteins on the ocular surface, whi...

BACKGROUND Little is known about the occurrence of Legionella pneumophila in water supply systems on board ships. Our aim was to study the occurrence of L. pneumophila in the water supply system on board Norwegian naval vessels as the basis for framing preventive strategies against Legionella infection. MATERIAL AND METHOD Water samples were collected from technical installations and from the...

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...

BACKGROUND Acanthamoeba is the genus of free-living amoebae that is most frequently isolated in nature. To date, 20 Acanthamoeba genotypes have been described. Genotype T4 is responsible for approximately 90% of encephalitis and keratitis cases. Due to the ubiquitous presence of amoebae, isolation from environmental sources is not uncommon; to determine the clinical importance of an isolation, ...

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis is responsible for paratuberculosis in animals. This disease, leading to an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, has a high impact on animal health and an important economic burden. The environmental life cycle of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis is poorly understood and several studies suggest that free-living amoebae (FLA) might be a potentia...

Interaction of cationized ferritin with the anionic groups on the cell surface of Naegleria was studied using transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with fluorescence microscopy. Most of the experiments involved the use of fluorescein-labelled cationized ferritin (FITC-CF) incubated with living amoebae. Initially the FITC-CF was located over the posterior two-thirds of the amoebae but ...