Isolation and molecular detection of Acanthamoeba spp from environmental sources in Khartoum-Sudan

Abstract EN

Background.

Acanthamoeba spp is infection of the human ey cornea by the free-living protozoan amoeba belonged to the genus Acanthamoeba ubiquitous in Varity of environments and can lead to sever disease including amoebic keratitis and granulomatous encephalitis.

Purpose: to isolates and to determine the most prevalent of Acanthamoeba Spp predominant in soil, hospital dust, stagnant waters, river water samples as risk factors transmission Acanthamoeba from Khartoum central Sudan.

Material and Methods : this is cross sectional study , a total of 70 environmental samples were collected and examinated for the present of Acanthamoeba in the period of time 2017-2020 we use a standard protocol for isolation , all samples after filtering through 0.45-um nitrocellulose paper were cultured in 1.5 % non –nutrient agar medium enriched with heat-killed Escherichia coli for detecting and identification of Acanthamoeba species we employ cultures method based on morphological criteria of trophozoite and cyst stages and polymerase chain reaction using specific primers JDP1- JDP2 for Acanthamoeba detection .

Results: The results revealed that out of 8 (11.4% ) of environmental samples positive for Acanthamoeba species by microscopy and culture technique was derived from soil 1(10% ) , hospital dust 1(10% ), stagnant water samples 4 (13.3% ) ,and 2 (10%) river water samples were positive for Acanthamoeba spp ,which have been observed in all environmental isolates samples.

Conclusions : Environmental sources , soil ,hospital dust , stagnant water ,river water samples is potentially risk factors for the prevalent of Acanthamoeba spp in Khartoum region due to high resistance of cyst against harsh environments as well as tolerance of it to the relatively high temperature.