Isolation and Genotyping of Acanthamoeba Strains from Environmental Sources in Ahvaz City, Khuzestan Province, Southern Iran
Rahdar ، M. نويسنده Department of Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, P.O. Box 1731, Shiraz 71345, Iran. , , Niyyati، M. نويسنده Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,Iran. Niyyati, M. , Salehi، M. نويسنده , , Feghhi، M. نويسنده Department of Ophthalmology, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. Feghhi, M. , Makvandi، M. نويسنده Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz JundiShapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. Makvandi, M. , Pourmehdi، M. نويسنده Department of Epidemiology and Statistical, School of Veterinary, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran. Pourmehdi, M. , Farnia، S. نويسنده Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,Iran. Farnia, S.
Background: Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living amoebae commonly found in the environmental sources such as water, soil, and air. This ubiquitous amoeba is the causative agent of amoebic kerati- tis (AK). The objective of the present study was to investigate the presence of Acanthamoeba spp. in water and soil sources in Ahvaz City, Khuzestan Province, southern Iran.
Methods: In general, 110 samples of water and soil were taken from different localities of Ahvaz including agricultural canals, rivers, and swimming pools. Filtration and cultivation were carried out on non-nutrient agar medium (NNA). Axenic cultivation was performed for all of positive isolates. PCR analysis was conducted on positive samples. Sequencing was done for 15 PCR products. Geno - types were identified by Blast search and homology analysis.
Result: Acanthamoeba spp. was found in 43 (71.6%) of samples of water and 13 (26%) soil samples. Genotyping of 15 samples proved that Acanthamoeba belonged to T4 (86.6%), T2 (6.6%), and T5 (6.6%) genotypes.
Conclusion: TYI-S-33 medium could be better than PYG medium for Acanthamoeba axenic culture.