Genotypic characterization of amoeba isolated from Acanthamoeba keratitis in Poland

Free-living amoebae belonging to the genus Acanthamoeba are the causative factor of many diseases. Among others, they cause Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), a condition that usually occurs in contact lens wearers, though it is also observed in non-wearers. The number of diagnosed cases of AK increased m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Parasitology research (1987) 2015-03, Vol.114 (3), p.1233-1237
Main Authors: Derda, Monika, Solarczyk, Piotr, Cholewiński, Marcin, Hadaś, Edward
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acanthamoeba
Acanthamoeba - genetics
Acanthamoeba Keratitis - epidemiology
Acanthamoeba Keratitis - parasitology
Amoeba
Amoebas
at-risk population
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Europe
Female
Genetic aspects
Genotype
Genotypes
Health aspects
Host-parasite relationships
human diseases
Humans
Identification and classification
Immunology
Keratitis
Male
Medical Microbiology
Microbiology
parasites
parasitology
Poland - epidemiology
Short Communication
therapeutics
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Summary:Free-living amoebae belonging to the genus Acanthamoeba are the causative factor of many diseases. Among others, they cause Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), a condition that usually occurs in contact lens wearers, though it is also observed in non-wearers. The number of diagnosed cases of AK increased more than eightfold during 8 years in the USA, and a proportional increase in frequency also occurred in Poland and Europe. Cases of AK are usually diagnosed late, and their therapy is difficult and rarely successful. AK is an uncommon diagnosis in Poland. The increased number of positive cases observed in our laboratory may reflect the growing at-risk population of contact lens wearers. Acanthamoeba as a genus of facultative human parasites is currently classified into 17 genotypes. Isolates belonging to seven genotypes were found to be associated with AK. One genotype in particular, T4, was found to be overrepresented in human disease. The main finding of our study is that in Poland, AK is almost always associated with the T4 genotype.
ISSN:0932-0113
1432-1955
DOI:10.1007/s00436-015-4319-0