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Büchele MLC, Nunes BF, Filippin-Monteiro FB, Caumo KS. Diagnosis and treatment of Acanthamoeba Keratitis: A scoping review demonstrating unfavorable outcomes. Cont Lens Anterior Eye 2023; 46:101844. [PMID: 37117130 DOI: 10.1016/j.clae.2023.101844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba spp. are pathogens that cause Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), a serious cornea inflammation that can lead to gradual loss of vision, permanent blindness, and keratoplasty. The efficacy of AK treatment depends on the drug's ability to reach the target tissue by escaping the protective eye barrier. No single drug can eradicate the living forms of the amoeba and be non-toxic to the cornea tissue. The treatment aims to eradicate both forms of protozoan life but is hampered by the resistance of the cysts to the most available drugs, leading to prolonged infection and relapses. Drug therapy is currently performed mainly using diamidines and biguanides, as they are more effective against cysts. However, they are cytotoxic to corneal cells. Drugs are applied topically, and hourly. Over time, the frequency of administration decreases, but the treatment time varies from month to years. This study aims to obtain an up-to-date summary of the literature since 2010, allowing us to identify the trends and gaps and address future research involving new alternatives for treating AK. The results were divided into three phases, pre-treatment, empirical treatment, and the treatment after diagnosis confirmation. The drugs prescribed were stratified into antiamoebic, antibiotic, antifungal, antivirals, and steroids. It was possible to observe the transition in drug prescription during three different stages until the diagnosis was confirmed. There were more indications for antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral drugs in the early stages of the disease. The antiamoebic drugs were only prescribed after exhausting other treatments. This can be directly involved in developing complications and no responsiveness to medical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Luiza Carneiro Büchele
- Laboratório de Investigação Aplicada a Protozoários de Protozoários Emergentes (LADIPE), Florianópolis, SC 88040-970, Brazil
| | - Bruno Fonseca Nunes
- Department of Clinical Analyses, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040900, Brazil
| | - Fabíola Branco Filippin-Monteiro
- Department of Clinical Analyses, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040900, Brazil.
| | - Karin Silva Caumo
- Laboratório de Investigação Aplicada a Protozoários de Protozoários Emergentes (LADIPE), Florianópolis, SC 88040-970, Brazil; Department of Clinical Analyses, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040900, Brazil.
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2
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Distribution and Current State of Molecular Genetic Characterization in Pathogenic Free-Living Amoebae. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11101199. [PMID: 36297255 PMCID: PMC9612019 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Free-living amoebae (FLA) are protozoa widely distributed in the environment, found in a great diversity of terrestrial biomes. Some genera of FLA are linked to human infections. The genus Acanthamoeba is currently classified into 23 genotypes (T1-T23), and of these some (T1, T2, T4, T5, T10, T12, and T18) are known to be capable of causing granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) mainly in immunocompromised patients while other genotypes (T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T10, T11, T12, and T15) cause Acanthamoeba keratitis mainly in otherwise healthy patients. Meanwhile, Naegleria fowleri is the causative agent of an acute infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), while Balamuthia mandrillaris, like some Acanthamoeba genotypes, causes GAE, differing from the latter in the description of numerous cases in patients immunocompetent. Finally, other FLA related to the pathologies mentioned above have been reported; Sappinia sp. is responsible for one case of amoebic encephalitis; Vermamoeba vermiformis has been found in cases of ocular damage, and its extraordinary capacity as endocytobiont for microorganisms of public health importance such as Legionella pneumophila, Bacillus anthracis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, among others. This review addressed issues related to epidemiology, updating their geographic distribution and cases reported in recent years for pathogenic FLA.
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3
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Keche A, Chakravarty S, Khatoon S, Kannauje P, Arora RD. Acanthamoeba species from a post-covid patient with CSF rhinorrhea; a next possible post covid menace? A case report. Indian J Med Microbiol 2022; 42:100-102. [PMID: 36244850 PMCID: PMC9561446 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2022.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
A case of Acanthamoeba rhinorrhea in a 32 years female, who was recently recovered from COVID-19 infectionat a tertiary care institute in India. Though, there was no standard treatment protocol for management of amoebic-meningo encephalitis. The patient was managed successfully with combination therapy of amphotericin B and miltefosine. Agents having trophicidal and cysticidal activities are used for treatment of CNS Acanthamoeba infection. COVID 19 infection, steroid therapy anddiabetes mellitus which lead to low immunitywere found to be associated contributing factors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ripu Daman Arora
- Department of Otolaryngology & Head Neck Surgery, AIIMS Raipur, India.
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4
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Saberi R, Nakhaei M, Fakhar M, Zarrinfar H, Sharifpour A, Hezarjaribi HZ. Molecular identification and genotyping of Acanthamoeba spp., in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from immunocompetent patients with chronic respiratory disorders (CRD). Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3013-3017. [PMID: 35930044 PMCID: PMC9362591 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07609-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the presence and genotyping of Acanthamoeba spp., in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of immunocompetent patients with chronic respiratory disorders (CRD). In this study, 211 BALF samples were collected from patients with CRD during the COVID-19 pandemic who were candidates for fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) at Imam Khomeini Hospital, Sari, Mazandaran Province, northern Iran and investigated for Acanthamoeba spp., by PCR. A total of 211 FBAL samples were examined; 5 (5/211; 2.36%) were positive by using the PCR test for Acanthamoeba spp. According to sequence analysis, three strains belonged to the T4 genotype and one strain to the T2 genotype. Our data demonstrate that the presence of Acanthamoeba (T4 and T2) in BALF specimens of patients with respiratory infections. However, it is important to note that these findings may be merely accidental. Our findings suggest further investigation to fully understand the role of Acanthamoeba spp. in the pathogenesis of lung infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Saberi
- Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, School of Medicine, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, P.O Box: 48471-91971, Sari, Iran
| | - Maryam Nakhaei
- Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, School of Medicine, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, P.O Box: 48471-91971, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahdi Fakhar
- Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, School of Medicine, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, P.O Box: 48471-91971, Sari, Iran.
| | - Hossein Zarrinfar
- Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Allergy Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Ali Sharifpour
- Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, School of Medicine, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, P.O Box: 48471-91971, Sari, Iran.,Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis (INRCL), Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Hajar Ziaei Hezarjaribi
- Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, School of Medicine, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, P.O Box: 48471-91971, Sari, Iran
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5
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Ferreira MDS, Mendoza SR, Gonçalves DDS, Rodríguez-de la Noval C, Honorato L, Nimrichter L, Ramos LFC, Nogueira FCS, Domont GB, Peralta JM, Guimarães AJ. Recognition of Cell Wall Mannosylated Components as a Conserved Feature for Fungal Entrance, Adaptation and Survival Within Trophozoites of Acanthamoeba castellanii and Murine Macrophages. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:858979. [PMID: 35711659 PMCID: PMC9194641 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.858979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Acanthamoeba castellanii (Ac) is a species of free-living amoebae (FLAs) that has been widely applied as a model for the study of host-parasite interactions and characterization of environmental symbionts. The sharing of niches between Ac and potential pathogens, such as fungi, favors associations between these organisms. Through predatory behavior, Ac enhances fungal survival, dissemination, and virulence in their intracellular milieu, training these pathogens and granting subsequent success in events of infections to more evolved hosts. In recent studies, our group characterized the amoeboid mannose binding proteins (MBPs) as one of the main fungal recognition pathways. Similarly, mannose-binding lectins play a key role in activating antifungal responses by immune cells. Even in the face of similarities, the distinct impacts and degrees of affinity of fungal recognition for mannose receptors in amoeboid and animal hosts are poorly understood. In this work, we have identified high-affinity ligands for mannosylated fungal cell wall residues expressed on the surface of amoebas and macrophages and determined the relative importance of these pathways in the antifungal responses comparing both phagocytic models. Mannose-purified surface proteins (MPPs) from both phagocytes showed binding to isolated mannose/mannans and mannosylated fungal cell wall targets. Although macrophage MPPs had more intense binding when compared to the amoeba receptors, the inhibition of this pathway affects fungal internalization and survival in both phagocytes. Mass spectrometry identified several MPPs in both models, and in silico alignment showed highly conserved regions between spotted amoeboid receptors (MBP and MBP1) and immune receptors (Mrc1 and Mrc2) and potential molecular mimicry, pointing to a possible convergent evolution of pathogen recognition mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina da Silva Ferreira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Imunologia das Micoses, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
- Pós-Graduação em Imunologia e Inflamação, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Susana Ruiz Mendoza
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Imunologia das Micoses, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
- Pós-Graduação em Imunologia e Inflamação, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Diego de Souza Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Imunologia das Micoses, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
- Pós-Graduação em Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Claudia Rodríguez-de la Noval
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Imunologia das Micoses, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Leandro Honorato
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências (Microbiologia), Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia de Eucariotos, Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Nimrichter
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia de Eucariotos, Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Rede Micologia RJ - FAPERJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luís Felipe Costa Ramos
- Laboratório de Química de Proteínas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fábio C. S. Nogueira
- Laboratório de Química de Proteínas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gilberto B. Domont
- Laboratório de Química de Proteínas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José Mauro Peralta
- Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Allan J. Guimarães
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Imunologia das Micoses, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
- Pós-Graduação em Imunologia e Inflamação, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Rede Micologia RJ - FAPERJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Microbiologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Allan J. Guimarães,
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6
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Novel Plant-Based Metabolites as Disinfectants against Acanthamoeba castellanii. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11020248. [PMID: 35203850 PMCID: PMC8868186 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11020248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to global warming, coupled with global water shortages and the reliance of the public on household water tanks, especially in developing countries, it is anticipated that infections caused by free-living amoebae such as Acanthamoeba will rise. Thus, the development of novel disinfectant(s) which can target pathogenic free-living amoebae effectively is warranted. Herein, we extracted and isolated several plant-based secondary metabolites as novel disinfectants for use against pathogenic Acanthamoeba. The identity of the compounds was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance and tested for antiamoebic activities against clinical isolate of A. castellanii, belonging to the T4 genotype. Amoebicidal assays revealed that the compounds tested showed antiamoebic properties. Betulinic acid and betulin exhibited parasite killing of more than 65%. When tested against the cyst stage, betulinic acid, betulin, and vanillic acid inhibited both encystation and excystation processes. Furthermore, the plant-based metabolites significantly inhibited the binding capability of A. castellanii to host cells. Finally, most of the tested compounds displayed minimal cytotoxic activities against human cells and noticeably perturbed amoeba-mediated host cell cytotoxicity. Notably, both alkaloid and betulinic acid showed 20% cytotoxic effects, whereas betulin and lupeol had cytotoxic effects of 24% and 30%, respectively. Overall, our findings indicate that plant-based natural compounds demonstrate anti-Acanthamoebic properties, and they have potential candidates for water disinfectants or contact lens disinfecting solutions, as well as possible therapeutic drugs against Acanthamoeba infections.
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7
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Damhorst GL, Watts A, Hernandez-Romieu A, Mel N, Palmore M, Ali IKM, Neill SG, Kalapila A, Cope JR. Acanthamoeba castellanii encephalitis in a patient with AIDS: a case report and literature review. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 22:e59-e65. [PMID: 34461057 PMCID: PMC10910629 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(20)30933-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Amoebic encephalitis is a rare cause of CNS infection for which mortality exceeds 90%. We present the case of a 27-year-old man with AIDS who presented to a hospital in Atlanta (Georgia, USA) with tonic-clonic seizures and headache. His clinical condition deteriorated over several days. Brain biopsy revealed lymphohistiocytic inflammation and necrosis with trophozoites and encysted forms of amoebae. Immunohistochemical and PCR testing confirmed Acanthamoeba castellanii encephalitis, typically described as granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE). No proven therapy for GAE is available, although both surgical and multiagent antimicrobial treatment strategies are often used. Most recently, these include the antileishmanial agent miltefosine. Here we review all cases of GAE due to Acanthamoeba spp in people with HIV/AIDS identified in the literature and reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We describe this case as a reminder to the clinician to consider protozoal infections, especially free-living amoeba, in the immunocompromised host with a CNS infection refractory to traditional antimicrobial therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory L Damhorst
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Abigail Watts
- Division of Pulmonary Critical Care & Sleep Medicine and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - Nonglin Mel
- Family Medicine, Broward Health, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Melody Palmore
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ibne Karim M Ali
- Free-Living and Intestinal Amebas (FLIA) Laboratory, Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stewart G Neill
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Aley Kalapila
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jennifer R Cope
- Domestic Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Epidemiology Team, Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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8
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Various brain-eating amoebae: the protozoa, the pathogenesis, and the disease. Front Med 2021; 15:842-866. [PMID: 34825341 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-021-0865-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Among various genera of free-living amoebae prevalent in nature, some members are identified as causative agents of human encephalitis, in which Naegleria fowleri followed by Acanthamoeba spp. and Balamuthia mandrillaris have been successively discovered. As the three dominant genera responsible for infections, Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia work as opportunistic pathogens of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis in immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals, whereas Naegleria induces primary amoebic meningoencephalitis mostly in healthy children and young adults as a more violent and deadly disease. Due to the lack of typical symptoms and laboratory findings, all these amoebic encephalitic diseases are difficult to diagnose. Considering that subsequent therapies are also affected, all these brain infections cause significant mortality worldwide, with more than 90% of the cases being fatal. Along with global warming and population explosion, expanding areas of human and amoebae activity in some regions lead to increased contact, resulting in more serious infections and drawing increased public attention. In this review, we summarize the present information of these pathogenic free-living amoebae, including their phylogeny, classification, biology, and ecology. The mechanisms of pathogenesis, immunology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, epidemiology, diagnosis, and therapies are also discussed.
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9
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Folliero V, Zannella C, Chianese A, Stelitano D, Ambrosino A, De Filippis A, Galdiero M, Franci G, Galdiero M. Application of Dendrimers for Treating Parasitic Diseases. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:343. [PMID: 33808016 PMCID: PMC7998910 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13030343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in medical knowledge, parasitic diseases remain a significant global health burden and their pharmacological treatment is often hampered by drug toxicity. Therefore, drug delivery systems may provide useful advantages when used in combination with conventional therapeutic compounds. Dendrimers are three-dimensional polymeric structures, characterized by a central core, branches and terminal functional groups. These nanostructures are known for their defined structure, great water solubility, biocompatibility and high encapsulation ability against a wide range of molecules. Furthermore, the high ratio between terminal groups and molecular volume render them a hopeful vector for drug delivery. These nanostructures offer several advantages compared to conventional drugs for the treatment of parasitic infection. Dendrimers deliver drugs to target sites with reduced dosage, solving side effects that occur with accepted marketed drugs. In recent years, extensive progress has been made towards the use of dendrimers for therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic purposes for the management of parasitic infections. The present review highlights the potential of several dendrimers in the management of parasitic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Folliero
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (V.F.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.)
| | - Carla Zannella
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (V.F.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.)
| | - Annalisa Chianese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (V.F.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.)
| | - Debora Stelitano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (V.F.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.)
| | - Annalisa Ambrosino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (V.F.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.)
| | - Anna De Filippis
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Marilena Galdiero
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (V.F.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.)
| | - Gianluigi Franci
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy;
| | - Massimiliano Galdiero
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (V.F.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.)
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10
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Henriquez FL, Mooney R, Bandel T, Giammarini E, Zeroual M, Fiori PL, Margarita V, Rappelli P, Dessì D. Paradigms of Protist/Bacteria Symbioses Affecting Human Health: Acanthamoeba species and Trichomonas vaginalis. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:616213. [PMID: 33488560 PMCID: PMC7817646 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.616213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ever since the publication of the seminal paper by Lynn Margulis in 1967 proposing the theory of the endosymbiotic origin of organelles, the study of the symbiotic relationships between unicellular eukaryotes and prokaryotes has received ever-growing attention by microbiologists and evolutionists alike. While the evolutionary significance of the endosymbiotic associations within protists has emerged and is intensively studied, the impact of these relationships on human health has been seldom taken into account. Microbial endosymbioses involving human eukaryotic pathogens are not common, and the sexually transmitted obligate parasite Trichomonas vaginalis and the free-living opportunistic pathogen Acanthamoeba represent two unique cases in this regard, to date. The reasons of this peculiarity for T. vaginalis and Acanthamoeba may be due to their lifestyles, characterized by bacteria-rich environments. However, this characteristic does not fully explain the reason why no bacterial endosymbiont has yet been detected in unicellular eukaryotic human pathogens other than in T. vaginalis and Acanthamoeba, albeit sparse and poorly investigated examples of morphological identification of bacteria-like microorganisms associated with Giardia and Entamoeba were reported in the past. In this review article we will present the body of experimental evidences revealing the profound effects of these examples of protist/bacteria symbiosis on the pathogenesis of the microbial species involved, and ultimately their impact on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona L Henriquez
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of West Scotland, Paisley, United Kingdom
| | - Ronnie Mooney
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of West Scotland, Paisley, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy Bandel
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of West Scotland, Paisley, United Kingdom
| | - Elisa Giammarini
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of West Scotland, Paisley, United Kingdom
| | - Mohammed Zeroual
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of West Scotland, Paisley, United Kingdom.,Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Pier Luigi Fiori
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, Italy.,Mediterrenean Center for Disease Control, Sassari, Italy
| | - Valentina Margarita
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Paola Rappelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, Italy.,Mediterrenean Center for Disease Control, Sassari, Italy
| | - Daniele Dessì
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, Italy.,Mediterrenean Center for Disease Control, Sassari, Italy
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11
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Kalra SK, Sharma P, Shyam K, Tejan N, Ghoshal U. Acanthamoeba and its pathogenic role in granulomatous amebic encephalitis. Exp Parasitol 2019; 208:107788. [PMID: 31647916 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2019.107788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba is a free-living amoeba that is widely distributed in the environment. It is an opportunist protist, which is known to cause rare yet fatal infection of the central nervous system (CNS), granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) in humans. GAE cases are increasingly been reported among immunocompromised patients, with few cases in immunocompetent hosts. Diagnosis of GAE primarily includes neuroimaging, microscopy, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture, histopathology, serology and molecular techniques. Early diagnosis is vital for proper management of infected patients. Combination therapeutic approach has been tried in various GAE cases reported worldwide. We tried to present a comprehensive review, which summarizes on the epidemiology of GAE caused by Acanthamoeba along with the associated clinical symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of GAE among infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali K Kalra
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Bajhol, Distt. Solan, 173229, HP, India.
| | - Palvi Sharma
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Bajhol, Distt. Solan, 173229, HP, India
| | - Kirti Shyam
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Bajhol, Distt. Solan, 173229, HP, India
| | - Nidhi Tejan
- Department of Microbiology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareili Road, Lucknow, 226014, UP, India
| | - Ujjala Ghoshal
- Department of Microbiology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareili Road, Lucknow, 226014, UP, India
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