DNA extraction from amoebal isolates and genotype determination of Acanthamoeba from tap water in Latvia

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) Vol. 117; no. 10; pp. 3299 - 3303
• Main Authors: Gavarāne, Inese, Trofimova, Jūlija, Mališevs, Artjoms, Valciņa, Olga, Kirjušina, Muza, Rubeniņa, Ilze, Bērziņš, Aivars
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.10.2018; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acanthamoeba; Acanthamoeba - classification; Acanthamoeba - genetics; Acanthamoeba - isolation & purification; Amoeba; Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Databases, Nucleic Acid; DNA; DNA, Protozoan - genetics; Drinking water; Encephalitis; Genetic aspects; Genotype; Genotypes; Genotyping; Health aspects; Immunology; Invertebrates - genetics; Keratitis; Latvia; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Predators; RNA; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S - genetics; rRNA 18S; Short Communication; Water - parasitology; Water Pollution; Latvia; Tap water; 18S rDNA; Latvia; Acanthamoeba
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-5997-1

Acanthamoeba are free-living amoebae found in various ecological environments, and they are major microbial predators. Some Acanthamoeba species can cause keratitis, granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, and infections of the organs. This is the first study in Latvia describing Acanthamoeba detection by molecular techniques and genotyping using tap water from different sources. An 18S rRNA gene investigation of the 20 Acanthamoeba isolates suggested that 19 belonged to the hazardous T4 genotype and one sample was T12. The results indicate that tap water in Latvia may be a source of Acanthamoeba that is potentially pathogenic to humans. All obtained sequences were submitted to the GenBank database under the following accession numbers: MG386295–MG386314.