Isolation of Thermotolerant Pathogenic Naegleria australiensis from Diverse Water Resources Including Household Drinking Water in Pakistan

• Published in: Acta Protozoologica Vol. 56; no. 4; pp. 317 - 322
• Main Authors: Tanveer, Tania, Hameed, Abdul, Bin-Dukhyil, Abdul-Aziz A, Alaidarous, Mohammed, Matin, Abdul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Warsaw Jagiellonian University Press 01.01.2017; Jagiellonian University-Jagiellonian University Press
• Subjects: Acanthamoeba; Bacteria; Chemical analysis; Cysts; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Drinking water; E coli; Escherichia coli; Health risks; Identification; Lakes; Meningoencephalitis; Mineral nutrients; Municipal water; Naegleria; Naegleria australiensis; Naegleria fowleri; Nucleotide sequence; PCR; Phylogenetics; Polymerase chain reaction; Primary amebic meningoencephalitis; Resources; Seawater; Sewage; Species; Stream water; Water analysis; Water resources; Water sampling; Well water; Karachi Pakistan; Pakistan; Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis; Isolation; Thermotolerant pathogenic Naegleria; Pakistan; Molecular identification
• DOI: 10.4467/16890027AP.17.027.7829
• ISSN: 0065-1583

Naegleria is well recognized for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis which always results into death. To date there is not a single report demonstrating molecular identification of Naegleria from water resources of Pakistan thus the aim of the proposed study. Here, in total 135 various water samples (like domestic tap water, municipal water, sea water, well water, tube well water, canal water, boring water, sewage water, lake water and stream water) were collected across Pakistan and evaluated for Naegleria species. Naegleria australiensis (pathogenic) and Naegleria lovaniensis (non pathogenic) were isolated on non nutrient agar plates and were further identified by PCR and sequencing. To best of our knowledge we have described for the first time the isolation and molecular identification of thermotolerant pathogenic and non pathogenic Naegleria species from diverse water samples including drinking water across Pakistan. The presence of pathogenic Naegleria species in diverse water samples may add the health threat to the community.