1
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Malinowski N, Morgan MJ, Wylie J, Walsh T, Domingos S, Metcalfe S, Kaksonen AH, Barnhart EP, Mueller R, Peyton BM, Puzon GJ. Prokaryotic microbial ecology as an ecosurveillance tool for eukaryotic pathogen colonisation: Meiothermus and Naegleria fowleri. Water Res 2024; 254:121426. [PMID: 38471203 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri has been detected in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) in Australia, Pakistan and the United States and is the causative agent of the highly fatal disease primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Previous small scale field studies have shown that Meiothermus may be a potential biomarker for N. fowleri. However, correlations between predictive biomarkers in small sample sizes often breakdown when applied to larger more representative datasets. This study represents one of the largest and most rigorous temporal investigations of Naegleria fowleri colonisation in an operational DWDS in the world and measured the association of Meiothermus and N. fowleri over a significantly larger space and time in the DWDS. A total of 232 samples were collected from five sites over three-years (2016-2018), which contained 29 positive N. fowleri samples. Two specific operational taxonomic units assigned to M. chliarophilus and M. hypogaeus, were significantly associated with N. fowleri presence. Furthermore, inoculation experiments demonstrated that Meiothermus was required to support N. fowleri growth in field-collected biofilms. This validates Meiothermus as prospective biological tool to aid in the identification and surveillance of N. fowleri colonisable sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Malinowski
- CSIRO Environment, Floreat Park, WA, Australia; Water Corporation of Western Australia, Leederville, WA, Australia
| | | | - Jason Wylie
- CSIRO Environment, Floreat Park, WA, Australia
| | - Tom Walsh
- CSIRO Environment, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Sergio Domingos
- Water Corporation of Western Australia, Leederville, WA, Australia
| | | | | | - Elliott P Barnhart
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Helena, Montana (MT), USA
| | - Rebecca Mueller
- Centre for Biofilm Engineering, and Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Brent M Peyton
- Centre for Biofilm Engineering, and Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
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2
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Köseoğlu AE, Özgül F, Işıksal EN, Şeflekçi Y, Tülümen D, Özgültekin B, Deniz Köseoğlu G, Özyiğit S, Ihlamur M, Ekenoğlu Merdan Y. In silico discovery of diagnostic/vaccine candidate antigenic epitopes and a multi-epitope peptide vaccine (NaeVac) design for the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri causing human meningitis. Gene 2024; 902:148192. [PMID: 38253295 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri, the brain-eating amoeba, is a free-living amoeboflagellate with three different life cycles (trophozoite, flagellated, and cyst) that lives in a variety of habitats around the world including warm freshwater and soil. It causes a disease called naegleriasis leading meningitis and primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in humans. N. fowleri is transmitted through contaminated water sources such as insufficiently chlorinated swimming pool water or contaminated tap water, and swimmers are at risk. N. fowleri is found all over the world, and most infections were reported in both developed and developing countries with high mortality rates and serious clinical findings. Until now, there is no FDA approved vaccine and early diagnosis is urgent against this pathogen. In this study, by analyzing the N. fowleri vaccine candidate proteins (Mp2CL5, Nfa1, Nf314, proNP-A and proNP-B), it was aimed to discover diagnostic/vaccine candidate epitopes and to design a multi-epitope peptide vaccine against this pathogen. After the in silico evaluation, three prominent diagnostic/vaccine candidate epitopes (EAKDSK, LLPHIRILVY, and FYAKLLPHIRILVYS) with the highest antigenicities were discovered and a potentially highly immunogenic/antigenic multi-epitope peptide vaccine (NaeVac) was designed against the brain-eating amoeba N. fowleri causing human meningitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Efe Köseoğlu
- Duisburg-Essen University, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Essen, Germany.
| | - Filiz Özgül
- Biruni University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Elif Naz Işıksal
- Biruni University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul, Turkey; Biruni University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Yusuf Şeflekçi
- Biruni University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Deniz Tülümen
- Biruni University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Buminhan Özgültekin
- Bogaziçi University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Sena Özyiğit
- Biruni University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Murat Ihlamur
- Biruni University, Vocational School, Department of Electronics and Automation, Istanbul, Turkey; Yıldız Technical University, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Yağmur Ekenoğlu Merdan
- Biruni University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul, Turkey
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3
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Burqi AMK, Satti L, Mahboob S, Anwar SOZ, Bizanjo M, Rafique M, Ghanchi NK. Successful Treatment of Confirmed Naegleria fowleri Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis. Emerg Infect Dis 2024; 30:803-805. [PMID: 38526236 PMCID: PMC10977850 DOI: 10.3201/eid3004.230979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis caused by Naegleria fowleri is a rare but nearly always fatal parasitic infection of the brain. Globally, few survivors have been reported, and the disease has no specific treatment. We report a confirmed case in Pakistan in a 22-year-old man who survived after aggressive therapy.
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4
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Ata I, Riaz N, Ata F, Farooq U, Mallhi TH. Waking up to the Naegleria threat: urgent measures needed to protect public health in Pakistan. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2024; 22:129-130. [PMID: 38193480 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2024.2304055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Ifrah Ata
- Hamdard Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hamdard University Islamabad Campus Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nabeel Riaz
- Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center, Lahore & Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Fariah Ata
- Department of Optometry, The University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Umer Farooq
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Tauqeer Hussain Mallhi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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5
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Yasir M, Herekar FF. Unexpected trends of amoebic encephalitis in Pakistan. Trop Doct 2024; 54:165-166. [PMID: 38130144 DOI: 10.1177/00494755231220096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Annual reported cases of Naegleria fowleri (NF), popularly known as brain eating amoeba, are becoming a huge challenge for Pakistani health authorities. Karachi has seen cases regularly up till the present but Lahore has not. The spread of this amoeba in non-chlorinated water is a major concern for the authorities. NF is an amoeba commonly found in warm freshwater environments such as lakes, hot springs and poorly chlorinated swimming pools. It poses a significant risk during hot weather when water-related recreational activities are popular. Where there is a non-chlorinated water supply, its spread is aggravated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Yasir
- Department of Internal Medicine, Indus Hospital and Health Network, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Fivzia Farooq Herekar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Indus Hospital and Health Network, Karachi, Pakistan
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6
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Hall AD, Kumar JE, Golba CE, Luckett KM, Bryant WK. Primary amebic meningoencephalitis: a review of Naegleria fowleri and analysis of successfully treated cases. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:84. [PMID: 38182931 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08094-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a necrotizing and hemorrhagic inflammation of the brain and meninges caused by Naegleria fowleri, a free-living thermophilic ameba of freshwater systems. PAM remains a neglected disease that disproportionately affects children in tropical and subtropical climates, with an estimated mortality rate of 95-98%. Due to anthropogenic climate change, the average temperature in the USA has increased by 0.72 to 1.06 °C in the last century, promoting the poleward spread of N. fowleri. PAM is often misdiagnosed as bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis, which shortens the window for potentially life-saving treatment. Diagnosis relies on the patient's history of freshwater exposure and the physician's high index of suspicion, supported by cerebrospinal fluid studies. While no experimental trials have been conducted to assess the relative efficacy of treatment regimens, anti-amebic therapy with adjunctive neuroprotection is standard treatment in the USA. We performed a literature review and identified five patients from North America between 1962 and 2022 who survived PAM with various degrees of sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashton D Hall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Julia E Kumar
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Claire E Golba
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
| | - Keith M Luckett
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Whitney K Bryant
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA.
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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7
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Sharma V, Madia VN, Tudino V, Nguyen JV, Debnath A, Messore A, Ialongo D, Patacchini E, Palenca I, Basili Franzin S, Seguella L, Esposito G, Petrucci R, Di Matteo P, Bortolami M, Saccoliti F, Di Santo R, Scipione L, Costi R, Podust LM. Miconazole-like Scaffold is a Promising Lead for Naegleria fowleri-Specific CYP51 Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2023; 66:17059-17073. [PMID: 38085955 PMCID: PMC10758121 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Developing drugs for brain infection by Naegleria fowleri is an unmet medical need. We used a combination of cheminformatics, target-, and phenotypic-based drug discovery methods to identify inhibitors that target an essential N. fowleri enzyme, sterol 14-demethylase (NfCYP51). A total of 124 compounds preselected in silico were tested against N. fowleri. Nine primary hits with EC50 ≤ 10 μM were phenotypically identified. Cocrystallization with NfCYP51 focused attention on one primary hit, miconazole-like compound 2a. The S-enantiomer of 2a produced a 1.74 Å cocrystal structure. A set of analogues was then synthesized and evaluated to confirm the superiority of the S-configuration over the R-configuration and the advantage of an ether linkage over an ester linkage. The two compounds, S-8b and S-9b, had an improved EC50 and KD compared to 2a. Importantly, both were readily taken up into the brain. The brain-to-plasma distribution coefficient of S-9b was 1.02 ± 0.12, suggesting further evaluation as a lead for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vandna Sharma
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery
and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Valentina Noemi Madia
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Valeria Tudino
- Dipartimento
di Biotecnologie, Università degli
Studi di Siena, Chimica e Farmacia via Aldo Moro 2, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Jennifer V. Nguyen
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery
and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery
and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Antonella Messore
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Davide Ialongo
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Elisa Patacchini
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Irene Palenca
- Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, “Sapienza″ Università di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Silvia Basili Franzin
- Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, “Sapienza″ Università di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Luisa Seguella
- Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, “Sapienza″ Università di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Esposito
- Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, “Sapienza″ Università di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Rita Petrucci
- Dipartimento
di Scienze di Base e Applicate per l’Ingegneria, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Via Castro Laurenziano 7, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Paola Di Matteo
- Dipartimento
di Scienze di Base e Applicate per l’Ingegneria, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Via Castro Laurenziano 7, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Martina Bortolami
- Dipartimento
di Scienze di Base e Applicate per l’Ingegneria, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Via Castro Laurenziano 7, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Francesco Saccoliti
- D3 PharmaChemistry, Italian
Institute of Technology, Via Morego 30, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Roberto Di Santo
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Luigi Scipione
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Roberta Costi
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery
and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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8
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Yuan A, Fong H, Nguyen JV, Nguyen S, Norman P, Cullum R, Fenical W, Debnath A. High-Throughput Screen of Microbial Metabolites Identifies F 1F O ATP Synthase Inhibitors as New Leads for Naegleria fowleri Infection. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:2622-2631. [PMID: 37943251 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a brain infection caused by a free-living ameba Naegleria fowleri, leads to an extensive inflammation of the brain and death within 1-18 (median 5) days after symptoms begin. Although natural products have played a significant role in the development of drugs for over a century, research focusing on identifying new natural product-based anti-N. fowleri agents is limited. We undertook a large-scale ATP bioluminescence-based screen of about 10,000 unique marine microbial metabolite mixtures against the trophozoites of N. fowleri. Our screen identified about 100 test materials with >90% inhibition at 50 μg/mL and a dose-response study found 20 of these active test materials exhibiting an EC50 ranging from 0.2 to 2 μg/mL. Examination of four of these potent metabolite mixtures, derived from our actinomycete strains CNT671, CNT756, and CNH301, resulted in the isolation of a pure metabolite identified as oligomycin D. Oligomycin D exhibited nanomolar potency on multiple genotypes of N. fowleri, and it was five- or 850-times more potent than the recommended drugs amphotericin B or miltefosine. Oligomycin D is fast-acting and reached its EC50 in 10 h, and it was also able to inhibit the invasiveness of N. fowleri significantly when tested on a matrigel invasion assay. Since oligomycin is known to manifest inhibitory activity against F1FO ATP synthase, we tested different F1FO ATP synthase inhibitors and identified a natural peptide leucinostatin as a fast-acting amebicidal compound with nanomolar potency on multiple strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Yuan
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Hayley Fong
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Jennifer V Nguyen
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Sophia Nguyen
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Payton Norman
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Reiko Cullum
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - William Fenical
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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9
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Rajendran K, Ahmed U, Meunier AC, Shaikh MF, Siddiqui R, Anwar A. Natural Terpenes Inhibit the Cytopathogenicity of Naegleria fowleri Causing Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis in the Human Cell Line Model. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:4105-4114. [PMID: 37983556 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is one of the free-living amoebae and is a causative agent of a lethal and rare central nervous system infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Despite the advancement in antimicrobial chemotherapy, the fatality rate in the reported cases is more than 95%. Most of the treatment drugs used against N. fowleri infection are repurposed drugs. Therefore, a large number of compounds have been tested against N. fowleri in vitro, but most of the compounds showed high toxicity. To overcome this, we evaluated the effectiveness of naturally occurring terpene compounds against N. fowleri. In this study, we evaluated the antiamoebic potential of natural compounds including Thymol, Borneol, Andrographolide, and Forskolin againstN. fowleri. Thymol showed the highest amoebicidal activity with IC50/24 h at 153.601 ± 19.6 μM. Two combinations of compounds Forskolin + Thymol and Forskolin + Borneol showed a higher effect on the viability of trophozoites as compared to compounds alone and hence showed a synergistic effect. The IC50 reported for Forskolin + Thymol was 81.30 ± 6.86 μM. Borneol showed maximum cysticidal activity with IC50/24 h at 192.605 ± 3.01 μM. Importantly, lactate dehydrogenase release testing revealed that all compounds displayed minimal cytotoxicity to human HaCaT, HeLa, and SH-SY5Y cell lines. The cytopathogenicity assay showed that Thymol and Borneol also significantly reduced the host cell cytotoxicity of pretreated amoeba toward the human HaCaT cell line. So, these terpene compounds hold potential as therapeutic agents against infections caused by N. fowleri and are potentially a step forward in drug development against this deadly pathogen as these compounds have also been reported to cross the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, an in vivo study using animal models is necessary to assess the efficacy of these compounds and the need for further research into the intranasal route of delivery for the treatment of these life-threatening infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavitha Rajendran
- School of American Education (SAE), Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor 47500, Malaysia
| | - Usman Ahmed
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor 47500, Malaysia
| | - Alexia Chloe Meunier
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor 47500, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Farooq Shaikh
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Malaysia
- School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Orange New South Wales, 2800, Australia
| | - Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
- Department of Microbiota Research Centre, Istinye University, Istanbul 34010, Turkey
| | - Ayaz Anwar
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor 47500, Malaysia
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10
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Kassu M, Parvatkar PT, Milanes J, Monaghan NP, Kim C, Dowgiallo M, Zhao Y, Asakawa AH, Huang L, Wagner A, Miller B, Carter K, Barrett KF, Tillery LM, Barrett LK, Phan IQ, Subramanian S, Myler PJ, Van Voorhis WC, Leahy JW, Rice CA, Kyle DE, Morris J, Manetsch R. Shotgun Kinetic Target-Guided Synthesis Approach Enables the Discovery of Small-Molecule Inhibitors against Pathogenic Free-Living Amoeba Glucokinases. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:2190-2201. [PMID: 37820055 PMCID: PMC10644346 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic free-living amoebae (pFLA) can cause life-threatening central nervous system (CNS) infections and warrant the investigation of new chemical agents to combat the rise of infection from these pathogens. Naegleria fowleri glucokinase (NfGlck), a key metabolic enzyme involved in generating glucose-6-phosphate, was previously identified as a potential target due to its limited sequence similarity with human Glck (HsGlck). Herein, we used our previously demonstrated multifragment kinetic target-guided synthesis (KTGS) screening strategy to identify inhibitors against pFLA glucokinases. Unlike the majority of previous KTGS reports, our current study implements a "shotgun" approach, where fragments were not biased by predetermined binding potentials. The study resulted in the identification of 12 inhibitors against 3 pFLA glucokinase enzymes─NfGlck, Balamuthia mandrillaris Glck (BmGlck), and Acanthamoeba castellanii Glck (AcGlck). This work demonstrates the utility of KTGS to identify small-molecule binders for biological targets where resolved X-ray crystal structures are not readily accessible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mintesinot Kassu
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Prakash T. Parvatkar
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Jillian Milanes
- Eukaryotic
Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Neil P. Monaghan
- Eukaryotic
Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Chungsik Kim
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Matthew Dowgiallo
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yingzhao Zhao
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Ami H. Asakawa
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Lili Huang
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Alicia Wagner
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Brandon Miller
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Karissa Carter
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Kayleigh F. Barrett
- Center
for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (CERID), Division
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Logan M. Tillery
- Center
for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (CERID), Division
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Lynn K. Barrett
- Center
for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (CERID), Division
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Isabelle Q. Phan
- Center for Global Infectious Diseases Research, Seattle Children’s Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Sandhya Subramanian
- Center for Global Infectious Diseases Research, Seattle Children’s Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Peter J. Myler
- Center for Global Infectious Diseases Research, Seattle Children’s Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Wesley C. Van Voorhis
- Center
for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (CERID), Division
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - James W. Leahy
- Department of Chemistry, University
of
South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Christopher A. Rice
- Department
of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- Purdue
Institute for Drug Discovery (PIDD), Purdue
University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- Purdue Institute
of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease (PI4D), Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- Department
of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Dennis E. Kyle
- Department
of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - James Morris
- Eukaryotic
Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Roman Manetsch
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Center
for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Barnett
Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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11
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Rehman SU, Farooq S, Tariq MB, Nasir N, Wasay M, Masood S, Karim M. Clinical manifestations and outcome of patients with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in Pakistan. A single-center experience. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290394. [PMID: 37939056 PMCID: PMC10631667 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rapidly progressing central nervous system (CNS) infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba found in warm freshwater. The disease progression is very rapid, and the outcome is nearly always fatal. We aim to describe the disease course in patients admitted with PAM in a tertiary care center in Karachi, Pakistan between the periods of 2010 to 2021. A total of 39 patients were included in the study, 33 males (84.6%). The median age of the patients was 34 years. The most frequent presenting complaint was fever, which was found in 37 patients (94.9%) followed by headache in 28 patients (71.8%), nausea and vomiting in 27 patients (69.2%), and seizures in 10 patients (25.6%). Overall, 39 patients underwent lumbar puncture, 27 patients (69.2%) had a positive motile trophozoites on CSF wet preparation microscopy, 18 patients (46.2%) had a positive culture, and 10 patients had a positive PCR. CSF analysis resembled bacterial meningitis with elevated white blood cell counts with predominantly neutrophils (median, 3000 [range, 1350-7500] cells/μL), low glucose levels median, 14 [range, 1-92] mg/dL), and elevated protein levels (median, 344 [range, 289-405] mg/dL). Imaging results were abnormal in approximately three-fourths of the patients which included cerebral edema (66.7%), hydrocephalus (25.6%), and cerebral infarctions (12.8%). Only one patient survived. PAM is a fatal illness with limited treatment success. Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment can improve the survival of the patients and reduce mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Salman Farooq
- National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Bilal Tariq
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Nosheen Nasir
- Aga Khan University and Hospital (AKUH), Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Mohammad Wasay
- Aga Khan University and Hospital (AKUH), Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sobia Masood
- National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Musa Karim
- National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi, Pakistan
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12
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Lê HG, Võ TC, Kang JM, Nguyễn TH, Hwang BS, Oh YT, Na BK. Antiamoebic activities of flavonoids against pathogenic free-living amoebae, Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba species. Parasites Hosts Dis 2023; 61:449-454. [PMID: 38043540 PMCID: PMC10693969 DOI: 10.3347/phd.23078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Free-living amoebae (FLA) rarely cause human infections but can invoke fatal infections in the central nervous system (CNS). No consensus treatment has been established for FLA infections of the CNS, emphasizing the urgent need to discover or develop safe and effective drugs. Flavonoids, natural compounds from plants and plant-derived products, are known to have antiprotozoan activities against several pathogenic protozoa parasites. The anti-FLA activity of flavonoids has also been proposed, while their antiamoebic activity for FLA needs to be emperically determined. We herein evaluated the antiamoebic activities of 18 flavonoids against Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba species which included A. castellanii and A. polyphaga. These flavonoids showed different profiles of antiamoebic activity against N. fowleri and Acanthamoeba species. Demethoxycurcumin, kaempferol, resveratrol, and silybin (A+B) showed in vitro antiamoebic activity against both N. fowleri and Acanthamoeba species. Apigenin, costunolide, (‒)-epicatechin, (‒)-epigallocatechin, rosmarinic acid, and (‒)-trans-caryophyllene showed selective antiamoebic activity for Acanthamoeba species. Luteolin was more effective for N. fowleri. However, afzelin, berberine, (±)-catechin, chelerythrine, genistein, (+)-pinostrobin, and quercetin did not exhibit antiamoebic activity against the amoeba species. They neither showed selective antiamoebic activity with significant cytotoxicity to C6 glial cells. Our results provide a basis for the anti-FLA activity of flavonoids, which can be applied to develope alternative or supplemental therapeutic agents for FLA infections of the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hương Giang Lê
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727,
Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727,
Korea
| | - Tuấn Cường Võ
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727,
Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727,
Korea
| | - Jung-Mi Kang
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727,
Korea
| | - Thu Hằng Nguyễn
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727,
Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727,
Korea
| | - Buyng-Su Hwang
- Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju 37242,
Korea
| | - Young-Taek Oh
- Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju 37242,
Korea
| | - Byoung-Kuk Na
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727,
Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727,
Korea
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13
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Ward L, Sherchan SP. Surveillance of Naegleria fowleri in Louisiana's public water systems. J Water Health 2023; 21:1627-1631. [PMID: 38017594 PMCID: wh_2023_040 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2023.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri (Nf) inhabits soil and natural waters worldwide: it is thermophilic and thrives at temperatures up to 45 °C and in a multitude of environments. Three deaths in Louisiana were attributed to primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) caused by Nf infection in 2011 and 2013. Following these incidents, public water systems are now monitored for the presence of Nf in Louisiana. From 2014 to 2018, 29% (27/93) of samples collected showed positive for Nf and 68% (63/93) showed all thermophilic amoeba culture. Ten raw water sources and 17 distribution water systems tested positive. The year 2017 showed the highest number of samples with Nf (n = 10) followed by nine samples in 2015. As climate change increases surface water temperatures, continued testing for Nf prevalence will be an important facet of water monitoring and will need to extend into locations farther north than the current most common range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Ward
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA; Center of Research Excellence in Wastewater based Epidemiology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA E-mail:
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA; Center of Research Excellence in Wastewater based Epidemiology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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14
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Akbar N, Siddiqui R, El-Gamal MI, Zaraei SO, Alawfi BS, Khan NA. The anti-amoebic potential of carboxamide derivatives containing sulfonyl or sulfamoyl moieties against brain-eating Naegleria fowleri. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2539-2548. [PMID: 37665414 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07953-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living thermophilic flagellate amoeba that causes a rare but life-threatening infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), with a very high fatality rate. Herein, the anti-amoebic potential of carboxamide derivatives possessing sulfonyl or sulfamoyl moiety was assessed against pathogenic N. fowleri using amoebicidal, cytotoxicity and cytopathogenicity assays. The results from amoebicidal experiments showed that derivatives dramatically reduced N. fowleri viability. Selected derivatives demonstrated IC50 values at lower concentrations; 1j showed IC50 at 24.65 μM, while 1k inhibited 50% amoebae growth at 23.31 μM. Compounds with significant amoebicidal effects demonstrated limited cytotoxicity against human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells. Finally, some derivatives mitigated N. fowleri-instigated host cell death. Ultimately, this study demonstrated that 1j and 1k exhibited potent anti-amoebic activity and ought to be looked at in future studies for the development of therapeutic anti-amoebic pharmaceuticals. Further investigation is required to determine the clinical relevance of our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noor Akbar
- Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah, 26666, United Arab Emirates
- Microbiota Research Center, Istinye University, 34010, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mohammed I El-Gamal
- Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt.
| | - Seyed-Omar Zaraei
- Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Bader S Alawfi
- Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madinah, 42353, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Microbiota Research Center, Istinye University, 34010, Istanbul, Turkey.
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15
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Sarfraz A, Wara TU, Sheheryar, Chen K, Ansari SH, Zaman A, Nishan U, Iqbal A, Ullah R, Ali EA, Shah M, Ojha SC. Structural informatics approach for designing an epitope-based vaccine against the brain-eating Naegleria fowleri. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1284621. [PMID: 37965306 PMCID: PMC10642955 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1284621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a severe lethal brain disease, is caused by a parasite, Naegleria fowleri, also known as the "brain-eating amoeba". The chances of a patient's recovery after being affected by this parasite are very low. Only 5% of people are known to survive this life-threatening infection. Despite the fact that N. fowleri causes a severe, fatal infection, there is no proper treatment available to prevent or cure it. In this context, it is necessary to formulate a potential vaccine that could be able to combat N. fowleri infection. The current study aimed at developing a multi-epitope subunit vaccine against N. fowleri by utilizing immunoinformatics techniques and reverse vaccinology approaches. The T- and B-cell epitopes were predicted by various tools. In order to choose epitopes with the ability to trigger both T- and B-cell-mediated immune responses, the epitopes were put through a screening pipeline including toxicity, antigenicity, cytokine-inductivity, and allergenicity analysis. Three vaccine constructs were designed from the generated epitopes linked with linkers and adjuvants. The modeled vaccines were docked with the immune receptors, where vaccine-1 showed the highest binding affinity. Binding affinity and stability of the docked complex were confirmed through normal mode analysis and molecular dynamic simulations. Immune simulations developed the immune profile, and in silico cloning affirmed the expression probability of the vaccine construct in Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain K12. This study demonstrates an innovative preventative strategy for the brain-eating amoeba by developing a potential vaccine through immunoinformatics and reverse vaccinology approaches. This study has great preventive potential for Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis, and further research is required to assess the efficacy of the designed vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asifa Sarfraz
- Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Tehreem Ul Wara
- Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Sheheryar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Ke Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | | | - Aqal Zaman
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Umar Nishan
- Department of Chemistry, Kohat University of Science & Technology, Kohat, Pakistan
| | - Anwar Iqbal
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Riaz Ullah
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Essam A. Ali
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohibullah Shah
- Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Suvash Chandra Ojha
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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16
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Nadeem A, Malik IA, Afridi EK, Shariq F. Naegleria fowleri outbreak in Pakistan: unveiling the crisis and path to recovery. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1266400. [PMID: 37927850 PMCID: PMC10620794 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1266400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of Naegleria fowleri in Pakistan presents a significant public health concern due to its high fatality rate and limited treatment options. This review explores the impact of the outbreak on communities and the challenges faced in combating the disease. It evaluates available treatment options and highlights the need for early diagnosis and intervention. The study proposes recommendations to improve public health preparedness, including public awareness campaigns, enhanced healthcare infrastructure, and robust water surveillance systems. Collaboration between research institutions and public health organizations is emphasized to develop effective outbreak response strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Nadeem
- Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Inshal Arshad Malik
- Department of Medicine, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Eesha Khan Afridi
- Department of Medicine, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Fariha Shariq
- Department of Medicine, Karachi Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
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17
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Martín-Pérez T, Köhsler M, Walochnik J. Evaluation and validation of reference genes for RT-qPCR gene expression in Naegleria gruberi. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16748. [PMID: 37798308 PMCID: PMC10555999 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43892-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Naegleria gruberi is a free-living amoeboflagellate commonly found in freshwater and in soils around the world. It is a non-pathogenic relative of Naegleria fowleri, which is the etiologic agent of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM occurs world-wide and it is considered a rare disease, but its fatality rate is high (96%) mainly because of delay in initiation of treatment due to misdiagnosis and lack of a specific treatment. The analysis of gene expression by quantitative real-time PCR in N. gruberi could be a highly efficient means to understand the pathogenicity of N. fowleri and also to find drug targets. Accurate RT-qPCR analysis requires correct normalization of gene expression data using reference genes (RG), whose expression should be constant under different experimental conditions. In this study, six genes, representing the most frequently used housekeeping genes, were selected for evaluation as reference genes in N. gruberi. The expression and stability of these genes was evaluated employing four algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder). This work shows significant variations of the stability of RGs depending on the algorithms employed and on the experimental conditions (i.e. logarithmic, stationary, heat-shock and oxidative stress). The geNorm, NormFinder and RefFinder analysis of all the experimental conditions in combination revealed that ACT and G6PD were the most stable RGs. While BestKeeper analysis showed that 18S and TBP were the most stable RGs. Moreover, normalization of HSP90 gene expression with the most stable RGs resulted in an upregulation whereas when the normalization was done with the unstable RGs, the gene expression was not reliable. Hence, the implications of this study are relevant to gene expression studies in N. gruberi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Martín-Pérez
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Martina Köhsler
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Walochnik
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
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18
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Niazi MM. Naegleria Fowleri-Prevention Is The Best Cure. J PAK MED ASSOC 2023; 73:2145-2146. [PMID: 37876108 DOI: 10.47391/jpma.9657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Musab Niazi
- 1st Year MBBS Student, Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
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19
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Lê HG, Kang JM, Võ TC, Na BK. Kaempferol induces programmed cell death in Naegleria fowleri. Phytomedicine 2023; 119:154994. [PMID: 37597363 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Naegleria fowleri is a brain-eating amoeba causing a fatal brain infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Despite its high mortality over 95%, effective therapeutic drug for PAM has not been developed yet. Therefore, development of an effective and safe therapeutic drug for PAM is urgently needed. In this study, we investigated anti-amoebic effect of kaempferol (KPF) against N. fowleri and its underlying anti-amoebic molecular mechanisms. METHODS Anti-amoebic activity of KPF against N. fowleri trophozoites, as well as cytotoxicity of KPF in C6 glial cells and CHO-K1 cells were investigated. The programmed cell death mechanisms in KPF-treated N. fowleri were also analyzed by apoptosis-necrosis assay, mitochondrial dysfunction assay, TUNEL assay, RT-qPCR, and CYTO-ID assay. RESULTS KPF showed anti-amoebic activity against N. fowleri trophozoites with an IC50 of 29.28 ± 0.63 μM. However, it showed no significant cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. KPF induced significant morphological alterations of the amoebae, resulting in death. Signals associated with apoptosis were detected in the amoebae upon treatment with KPF. KPF induced an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species level, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, increases of expression levels of genes associated with mitochondria dysfunction, and reduction of ATP levels in the amoebae. Autophagic vacuole accumulations with increased expression levels of autophagy-related genes were also detected in KPF-treated amoebae. CONCLUSION KPF induces programmed cell death in N. fowleri trophozoites via apoptosis-like pathway and autophagy pathway. KPF could be used as a candidate of anti-amoebic drug or supplement compound in the process of developing or optimizing therapeutic drug for PAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hương Giang Lê
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea; Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
| | - Jung-Mi Kang
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea; Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
| | - Tuấn Cường Võ
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea; Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
| | - Byoung-Kuk Na
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea; Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea.
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20
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Hong KW, Jeong JH, Byun JH, Hong SH, Ju JW, Bae IG. Fatal Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis due to Naegleria fowleri: The First Imported Case in Korea. Yonsei Med J 2023; 64:641-645. [PMID: 37727924 PMCID: PMC10522881 DOI: 10.3349/ymj.2023.0189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rare, but almost always fatal, central nervous system infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, which are thermophilic free-living amoeba. Here, we report the first case of PAM detected in South Korea, probably imported from Thailand. Despite antimicrobial treatment for N. fowleri infection with a combination of intravenous liposomal amphotericin B, fluconazole, azithromycin, and oral rifampin, the patient died 13 days after the onset of symptoms. Clinicians in South Korea treating severe meningoencephalitis, especially in individuals returning from tropical areas, are encouraged to include PAM in the differential diagnoses, given the accelerated global warming and increased overseas trips.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Wook Hong
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea
| | - Jong Hwan Jeong
- Division of Pulmonology and Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea
| | - Jung-Hyun Byun
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea
| | - Sung-Hee Hong
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju, Korea
| | - Jung-Won Ju
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju, Korea
| | - In-Gyu Bae
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.
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21
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Khan NA, Faheem A, Imtiaz H, Ismail M, Mughal S. Addressing The Alarming Surge Of Naegleria And Other Water-Borne Diseases In Karachi: A Call For Urgent Action. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad 2023; 35(Suppl 1):S813-S815. [PMID: 38406917 DOI: 10.55519/jamc-s4-12371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Najam Ahmed Khan
- Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Anas Faheem
- Department of Medicine, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, Pakistan
| | - Hania Imtiaz
- Department of Medicine, Karachi Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ismail
- Department of Anatomy, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, Pakistan
| | - Sanila Mughal
- Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
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22
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Rojo JU, Rajendran R, Salazar JH. Laboratory Diagnosis of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis. Lab Med 2023; 54:e124-e132. [PMID: 36638160 DOI: 10.1093/labmed/lmac158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a fulminant fatal human disease caused by the free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri. Infection occurs after inhalation of water containing the amoeba, typically after swimming in bodies of warm freshwater. N. fowleri migrates to the brain where it incites meningoencephalitis and cerebral edema leading to death of the patient 7 to 10 days postinfection. Although the disease is rare, it is almost always fatal and believed to be underreported. The incidence of PAM in countries other than the United States is unclear and possibly on track to being an emerging disease. Poor prognosis is caused by rapid progression, suboptimal treatment, and underdiagnosis. As diagnosis is often performed postmortem and testing is only performed by a few laboratories, more accessible testing is necessary. This article reviews the current methods used in the screening and confirmation of PAM and makes recommendations for improved diagnostic practices and awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan U Rojo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, US
| | - Rajkumar Rajendran
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, US
| | - Jose H Salazar
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, US
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23
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Lê HG, Kang JM, Võ TC, Yoo WG, Na BK. Naegleria fowleri Extracellular Vesicles Induce Proinflammatory Immune Responses in BV-2 Microglial Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13623. [PMID: 37686429 PMCID: PMC10487526 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) of protozoan parasites have diverse biological functions that are essential for parasite survival and host-parasite interactions. In this study, we characterized the functional properties of EVs from Naegleria fowleri, a pathogenic amoeba that causes a fatal brain infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). N. fowleri EVs (NfEVs) have been shown to be internalized by host cells such as C6 glial cells and BV-2 microglial cells without causing direct cell death, indicating their potential roles in modulating host cell functions. NfEVs induced increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines such as TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, IFN-γ, MIP-1α, and MIP-2 in BV-2 microglial cells; these increases were initiated via MyD88-dependent TLR-2/TLR-4. The production levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in NfEVs-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells were effectively downregulated by inhibitors of MAPK, NF-κB, or JAK-STAT. Phosphorylation levels of JNK, p38, ERK, p65, JAK-1, and STAT3 were increased in NfEVs-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells but were effectively suppressed by each corresponding inhibitor. These results suggest that NfEVs could induce proinflammatory immune responses in BV-2 microglial cells via the NF-κB-dependent MAPK and JAK-STAT signaling pathways. Taken together, these findings suggest that NfEVs are pathogenic factors involved in the contact-independent pathogenic mechanisms of N. fowleri by inducing proinflammatory immune responses in BV-2 microglial cells, further contributing to deleterious inflammation in infected foci by activating subsequent inflammation cascades in other brain cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hương Giang Lê
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Republic of Korea (J.-M.K.); (T.C.V.); (W.G.Y.)
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Mi Kang
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Republic of Korea (J.-M.K.); (T.C.V.); (W.G.Y.)
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Tuấn Cường Võ
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Republic of Korea (J.-M.K.); (T.C.V.); (W.G.Y.)
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Gi Yoo
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Republic of Korea (J.-M.K.); (T.C.V.); (W.G.Y.)
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Byoung-Kuk Na
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Republic of Korea (J.-M.K.); (T.C.V.); (W.G.Y.)
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Republic of Korea
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24
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Ngo A, McGehrin K, Di Loreto C, Arora R, LaBuzetta JN. Clinical Reasoning: A 67-Year-Old Man With Multiple Intracranial Lesions. Neurology 2023; 101:e845-e851. [PMID: 37156616 PMCID: PMC10449443 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000207386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A wide variety of diseases present with intracranial lesions. In this case report, a 67-year-old man initially presented to an outside hospital with nausea, headache, and ataxia and was found to have multiple intracranial lesions. Diagnostic workup was ultimately unrevealing, and his condition improved after a course of steroids and antibiotics. Unfortunately, symptoms returned 3 months later. MRI of the brain revealed progression of his intracranial lesions. This case highlights a diagnostic approach and general management strategy for patients presenting with undifferentiated intracranial pathology. A final diagnosis is ultimately reached and raises further discussion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeline Ngo
- From the Department of Neurosciences (A.N., K.M., J.N.L.), University of California San Diego; Office of the Coroner Ada County (C.D.L.), Boise, ID; and Department of Neurology (R.A.), Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA.
| | - Kevin McGehrin
- From the Department of Neurosciences (A.N., K.M., J.N.L.), University of California San Diego; Office of the Coroner Ada County (C.D.L.), Boise, ID; and Department of Neurology (R.A.), Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Christina Di Loreto
- From the Department of Neurosciences (A.N., K.M., J.N.L.), University of California San Diego; Office of the Coroner Ada County (C.D.L.), Boise, ID; and Department of Neurology (R.A.), Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Rajan Arora
- From the Department of Neurosciences (A.N., K.M., J.N.L.), University of California San Diego; Office of the Coroner Ada County (C.D.L.), Boise, ID; and Department of Neurology (R.A.), Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Jamie Nicole LaBuzetta
- From the Department of Neurosciences (A.N., K.M., J.N.L.), University of California San Diego; Office of the Coroner Ada County (C.D.L.), Boise, ID; and Department of Neurology (R.A.), Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA
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25
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Maloney P, Mowrer C, Jansen L, Karre T, Bedrnicek J, Obaro SK, Iwen PC, McCutchen E, Wetzel C, Frederick J, Ashraf MS, Donahue M. Fatal Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis in Nebraska: Case Report and Environmental Investigation, August 2022. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2023; 109:322-326. [PMID: 37460088 PMCID: PMC10397427 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rare and lethal infection caused by Naegleria fowleri. We report an epidemiological and environmental investigation relating to a case of PAM in a previously healthy boy age 8 years. An interview of the patient's family was conducted to determine the likely exposure site and to assess risk factors. Data from the United States Geological Survey site at Waterloo, NE, on the Elkhorn River were used to estimate water temperature and streamflow at the time and site of exposure. Data from the National Weather Service were used to estimate precipitation and ambient air temperature at the time and site of exposure. Despite conventional treatment, the patient died 2 days after hospital admission. The patient participated in recreational water activities in the Elkhorn River in northeastern Nebraska 5 days before symptom onset. In the week before exposure, water and ambient air high temperatures reached annual highs, averaging 32.4°C and 35.8°C, respectively. The day before infection, 2.2 cm of precipitation was reported. Streamflow was low (407 ft3/s). Infections in several northern states, including Nebraska, suggest an expanding geographic range of N. fowleri transmission, which may lead to increased incidence of PAM in the United States. Similar environmental investigations at suspected exposure sites of future cases will allow data aggregation, enabling investigators to correlate environmental factors with infection risk accurately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Maloney
- Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln, Nebraska
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Clayton Mowrer
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
- Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Lauren Jansen
- Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Workforce Development, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Tess Karre
- Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | | | | | | | | | - Chad Wetzel
- Douglas County Health Department, Omaha, Nebraska
| | | | - Muhammad Salman Ashraf
- Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln, Nebraska
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Matthew Donahue
- Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln, Nebraska
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26
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Gutiérrez-Sánchez M, Carrasco-Yépez MM, Correa-Basurto J, Ramírez-Salinas GL, Rojas-Hernández S. Two MP2CL5 Antigen Vaccines from Naegleria fowleri Stimulate the Immune Response against Meningitis in the BALB/c Model. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0018123. [PMID: 37272791 PMCID: PMC10353451 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00181-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is an etiological agent that generates primary amoebic meningoencephalitis; unfortunately, no effective treatment or vaccine is available. The objective of this work was to determine the immunoprotective response of two vaccine antigens, as follows: (i) the polypeptide band of 19 kDa or (ii) a predicted immunogenic peptide from the membrane protein MP2CL5 (Smp145). Both antigens were administered intranasally in mice using cholera toxin (CT) as an adjuvant. The survival rate and immune response of immunized mice with both antigens and challenged with N. fowleri trophozoites were measured in the nose-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) and nasal passages (NPs) by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We also determined the immunolocalization of both antigens in N. fowleri trophozoites by confocal microscopy. Immunization with the polypeptide band of 19 kDa alone or coadministered with CT was able to confer 80% and 100% of protection, respectively. The immunization with both antigens (alone or coadministered with CT) showed an increase in T and B lymphocytes. In addition, there was an increase in the expression of integrin α4β1 and IgA in the nasal cavity of protected mice, and the IgA, IgG, and IgM levels were increased in serum and nasal washes. The immunolocalization of both antigens in N. fowleri trophozoites was observed in the plasma membrane, specifically in pseudopod-like structures. The MP2CL5 antigens evaluated in this work were capable of conferring protection which would lead us to consider them as potential candidates for vaccines against meningitis caused by N. fowleri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Gutiérrez-Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología Molecular y Celular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - María Maricela Carrasco-Yépez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Grupo CyMA, Unidad de Investigación Interdisciplinaria en Ciencias de la Salud y la Educación, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM FES Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
| | - José Correa-Basurto
- Laboratorio de Diseño y Desarrollo de Nuevos Fármacos e Innovación Biotécnológica (Laboratory for the Design and Development of New Drugs and Biotechnological Innovation), Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gema Lizbeth Ramírez-Salinas
- Laboratorio de Diseño y Desarrollo de Nuevos Fármacos e Innovación Biotécnológica (Laboratory for the Design and Development of New Drugs and Biotechnological Innovation), Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Saúl Rojas-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología Molecular y Celular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
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27
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Gajula SN, Nalla LV. Fighting with brain-eating amoeba: challenges and new insights to open a road for the treatment of Naegleria fowleri infection. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2023; 21:1277-1279. [PMID: 37750324 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2023.2263644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Siva Nageswararao Gajula
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, GITAM School of Pharmacy, GITAM (Deemed to be University), Rushikonda, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Lakshmi Vineela Nalla
- Department of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Andhra Pradesh, India
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28
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Rojas-Ortega DA, Rojas-Hernández S, Sánchez-Mendoza ME, Gómez-López M, Sánchez-Camacho JV, Rosales-Cruz E, Yépez MMC. Role of FcγRIII in the nasal cavity of BALB/c mice in the primary amebic meningoencephalitis protection model. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:1087-1105. [PMID: 36913025 PMCID: PMC10009362 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07810-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Different mechanisms of the host immune response against the primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in the mouse protection model have been described. It has been proposed that antibodies opsonize Naegleria fowleri trophozoites; subsequently, the polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) surround the trophozoites to avoid the infection. FcγRs activate signaling pathways of adapter proteins such as Syk and Hck on PMNs to promote different effector cell functions which are induced by the Fc portion of the antibody-antigen complexes. In this work, we analyzed the activation of PMNs, epithelial cells, and nasal passage cells via the expression of Syk and Hck genes. Our results showed an increment of the FcγRIII and IgG subclasses in the nasal cavity from immunized mice as well as Syk and Hck expression was increased, whereas in the in vitro assay, we observed that when the trophozoites of N. fowleri were opsonized with IgG anti-N. fowleri and interacted with PMN, the expression of Syk and Hck was also increased. We suggest that PMNs are activated via their FcγRIII, which leads to the elimination of the trophozoites in vitro, while in the nasal cavity, the adhesion and consequently infection are avoided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Alexander Rojas-Ortega
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Saúl Rojas-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - María Elena Sánchez-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Modesto Gómez-López
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Jennifer Viridiana Sánchez-Camacho
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Erika Rosales-Cruz
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Hematopatología, Departamento de Morfología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
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29
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Siddiqui R, Khan NA. Intranasal route for the delivery of antiamebic drugs against brain-eating amoeba. Ther Deliv 2023; 14:175-177. [PMID: 37191013 DOI: 10.4155/tde-2023-0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Tweetable abstract Nebulized emanator for intranasal delivery of antiamebic drugs to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
- College of Arts & Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah, UAE
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul, 34010, Turkey
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah, UAE
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul, 34010, Turkey
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30
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Ahmad Zamzuri M‘AI, Abd Majid FN, Mihat M, Ibrahim SS, Ismail M, Abd Aziz S, Mohamed Z, Rejali L, Yahaya H, Abdullah Z, Hassan MR, Dapari R, Mohd Isa AM. Systematic Review of Brain-Eating Amoeba: A Decade Update. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:3021. [PMID: 36833715 PMCID: PMC9964342 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rare but lethal infection of the brain caused by a eukaryote called Naegleria fowleri (N. fowleri). The aim of this review is to consolidate the recently published case reports of N. fowleri infection by describing its epidemiology and clinical features with the goal of ultimately disseminating this information to healthcare personnel. METHODS A comprehensive literature search was carried out using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and OVID databases until 31 December 2022 by two independent reviewers. All studies from the year 2013 were extracted, and quality assessments were carried out meticulously prior to their inclusion in the final analysis. RESULTS A total of 21 studies were selected for qualitative analyses out of the 461 studies extracted. The cases were distributed globally, and 72.7% of the cases succumbed to mortality. The youngest case was an 11-day-old boy, while the eldest was a 75-year-old. Significant exposure to freshwater either from recreational activities or from a habit of irrigating the nostrils preceded onset. The symptoms at early presentation included fever, headache, and vomiting, while late sequalae showed neurological manifestation. An accurate diagnosis remains a challenge, as the symptoms mimic bacterial meningitis. Confirmatory tests include the direct visualisation of the amoeba or the use of the polymerase chain reaction method. CONCLUSIONS N. fowleri infection is rare but leads to PAM. Its occurrence is worldwide with a significant risk of fatality. The suggested probable case definition based on the findings is the acute onset of fever, headache, and vomiting with meningeal symptoms following exposure to freshwater within the previous 14 days. Continuous health promotion and health education activities for the public can help to improve knowledge and awareness prior to engagement in freshwater activities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Farah Nabila Abd Majid
- Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
| | - Massitah Mihat
- Negeri Sembilan State Health Department, Jalan Rasah, Seremban 70300, Malaysia
| | - Siti Salwa Ibrahim
- Negeri Sembilan State Health Department, Jalan Rasah, Seremban 70300, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Ismail
- Negeri Sembilan State Health Department, Jalan Rasah, Seremban 70300, Malaysia
| | - Suriyati Abd Aziz
- Negeri Sembilan State Health Department, Jalan Rasah, Seremban 70300, Malaysia
| | - Zuraida Mohamed
- Negeri Sembilan State Health Department, Jalan Rasah, Seremban 70300, Malaysia
| | - Lokman Rejali
- Negeri Sembilan State Health Department, Jalan Rasah, Seremban 70300, Malaysia
| | - Hazlina Yahaya
- Public Health Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya 62000, Malaysia
| | - Zulhizzam Abdullah
- Public Health Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya 62000, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Rohaizat Hassan
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
- Borneo Medical and Health Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Malaysia
| | - Rahmat Dapari
- Department of Community Health, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Abd Majid Mohd Isa
- Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts, INTI International University, Persiaran Perdana BBN Putra Nilai, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
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31
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Abraham J, Chauhan N, Ray S. Virtual Screening of Alkaloid and Terpenoid Inhibitors of SMT Expressed in Naegleria sp. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27175727. [PMID: 36080504 PMCID: PMC9457665 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenic form of thermophilic Naegleria sp. i.e., Naegleria fowleri, also known as brain eating amoeba, causes primary amoebic encephalitis (PAM) with a >97% fatality rate. To date, there are no specific drugs identified to treat this disease specifically. The present antimicrobial combinatorial chemotherapy is hard on many patients, especially children. Interestingly, Naegleria fowleri has complex lipid biosynthesis pathways like other protists and also has a strong preference to utilize absorbed host lipids for generating energy. The ergosterol biosynthesis pathway provides a unique drug target opportunity, as some of the key enzymes involved in this pathway are absent in humans. Sterol 24-C Methyltransferase (SMT) is one such enzyme that is not found in humans. To select novel inhibitors for this enzyme, alkaloids and terpenoids inhibitors were screened and tested against two isozymes of SMT identified in N. gruberi (non-pathogenic) as well as its homolog found in yeast, i.e., ERG6. Five natural product derived inhibitors i.e., Cyclopamine, Chelerythrine, Berberine, Tanshinone 2A, and Catharanthine have been identified as potential drug candidates based on multiple criteria including binding affinity, ADME scores, absorption, and, most importantly, its ability to cross the blood brain barrier. This study provides multiple leads for future drug exploration against Naegleria fowleri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Abraham
- Department of Natural Sciences, Bowie State University, 14000 Jericho Park Rd., Bowie, MD 20715, USA
| | - Neha Chauhan
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Texas El Paso, 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Supriyo Ray
- Department of Natural Sciences, Bowie State University, 14000 Jericho Park Rd., Bowie, MD 20715, USA
- Correspondence:
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32
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Arberas-Jiménez I, Rizo-Liendo A, Sifaoui I, Chao-Pellicer J, Piñero JE, Lorenzo-Morales J. A Fluorometric Assay for the In Vitro Evaluation of Activity against Naegleria fowleri Cysts. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0051522. [PMID: 35862997 PMCID: PMC9430148 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00515-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a lethal and rapid infection that affects the central nervous system and is caused by the free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri. The life cycle of this protozoa consists of three different stages: The trophozoite, flagellate and cyst stages. Currently, no fully effective molecules have been found to treat PAM. In the search of new antiamoebic molecules, most of the efforts have focused on the trophozoidal activity of the compounds. However, there are no reports on the effect of the compounds on the N. fowleri cyst viability. In the present study, the cysticidal activity of four different molecules was evaluated using an alamarBlue based fluorometric assay. All the tested compounds were active against the cyst stage of N. fowleri. In fact, all the molecules except the amphotericin B, showed highest activity toward the cyst stage than the trophozoite stage. This work could be an effective protocol to select molecules with cysticidal and trophozoidal activity that can be considered a future PAM treatment. IMPORTANCE In the search of new anti-Naegleria fowleri compounds, most of the works focus on the activity of different molecules against the trophozoite stage; however, none of them include the effect of those compounds on the cyst viability. This manuscript presents a solid and reliable assay to evaluate the activity of compounds against the cyst stage of N. fowleri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iñigo Arberas-Jiménez
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET), Madrid, Spain
| | - Aitor Rizo-Liendo
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ines Sifaoui
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET), Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Chao-Pellicer
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET), Madrid, Spain
| | - José E. Piñero
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET), Madrid, Spain
- Consorcio Centro de Investigacion Biomedica En Red M.P. (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jacob Lorenzo-Morales
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
- Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET), Madrid, Spain
- Consorcio Centro de Investigacion Biomedica En Red M.P. (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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Ekici A, Alkan S, Aydemir S, Gurbuz E, Unlu AH. Trends in Naegleria fowleri global research: A bibliometric analysis study. Acta Trop 2022; 234:106603. [PMID: 35817194 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is one of the most dangerous protozoan agents. This article describes a bibliometric review of the literature on N. fowleri research indexed in WoS during a 51-year period. The VOSviewer visualization methodology was used to conduct a bibliometric study. The data included articles from the Web of Science database, nations, institutions, journals, keywords, co-authorship, co-citations, international collaborations, and citation rates. A total of 1106 articles were retrieved from the Web of Science database. The articles were cited 21,904 times in total (cited 12,138 times without self-citations). The average citation per article was 19.82. The Hirsch index was 63. The leading country according to the number of published articles was the United States of America (USA) (n = 447; 40.416%), followed by Mexico (n = 80; 7.233%), and Australia (n = 63; 5.696%). Other than these top three countries, the publications were from 74 countries globally. Especially after the 2000s, both the number of citations and the number of publications exhibited an increasing trend. The Virginia Commonwealth University (USA) (9.584%), Centers for Disease Control Prevention (USA) (8.770%), and Instituto Politecnico Nacional Mexico (4.069%) were the leading affiliations. Most of the leading affiliations were from the USA and Mexico. In conclusion, a bibliometric evaluation of N. fowleri was performed for the first time. Authors affiliated with institutions in the USA and Mexico have led scientific production on PAM. Efforts should be made to help developing countries with the highest prevalence of N. fowleri to develop scientific research networks with the USA and/or Mexico in order to increase research with interdisciplinary teams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdurrahman Ekici
- Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Van, Turkey.
| | - Sevil Alkan
- Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Disease and Clinical Microbiology, Canakkale, Turkey
| | - Selahattin Aydemir
- Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Van, Turkey
| | - Esra Gurbuz
- SBU Van Training and Research Hospital, Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Van, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Hakan Unlu
- Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Vocational School of Gevas, Division of Veterinary, Van, Turkey
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Cantoni D, Osborne A, Taib N, Thompson G, Martín‐Escolano R, Kazana E, Edrich E, Brown IR, Gribaldo S, Gourlay CW, Tsaousis AD. Localization and functional characterization of the alternative oxidase in Naegleria. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12908. [PMID: 35322502 PMCID: PMC9540462 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The alternative oxidase (AOX) is a protein involved in supporting enzymatic reactions of the Krebs cycle in instances when the canonical (cytochrome-mediated) respiratory chain has been inhibited, while allowing for the maintenance of cell growth and necessary metabolic processes for survival. Among eukaryotes, alternative oxidases have dispersed distribution and are found in plants, fungi, and protists, including Naegleria ssp. Naegleria species are free-living unicellular amoeboflagellates and include the pathogenic species of N. fowleri, the so-called "brain-eating amoeba." Using a multidisciplinary approach, we aimed to understand the evolution, localization, and function of AOX and the role that plays in Naegleria's biology. Our analyses suggest that AOX was present in last common ancestor of the genus and structure prediction showed that all functional residues are also present in Naegleria species. Using cellular and biochemical techniques, we also functionally characterize N. gruberi's AOX in its mitochondria, and we demonstrate that its inactivation affects its proliferation. Consequently, we discuss the benefits of the presence of this protein in Naegleria species, along with its potential pathogenicity role in N. fowleri. We predict that our findings will spearhead new explorations to understand the cell biology, metabolism, and evolution of Naegleria and other free-living relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Cantoni
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Ashley Osborne
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Najwa Taib
- Unit Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial CellDepartment of MicrobiologyInstitut Pasteur, UMR CNRS 2001ParisFrance
- Hub Bioinformatics and BiostatisticsDepartment of Computational BiologyInstitut Pasteur, USR 3756 CNRSParisFrance
| | - Gary Thompson
- NMR FacilitySchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Rubén Martín‐Escolano
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Eleanna Kazana
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Elizabeth Edrich
- Kent Fungal Group, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Ian R. Brown
- Bioimaging FacilitySchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Simonetta Gribaldo
- Unit Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial CellDepartment of MicrobiologyInstitut Pasteur, UMR CNRS 2001ParisFrance
| | - Campbell W. Gourlay
- Kent Fungal Group, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Anastasios D. Tsaousis
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID GroupSchool of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
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Milanes JE, Suryadi J, Monaghan NP, Harding EM, Morris CS, Rozema SD, Khalifa MM, Golden JE, Phan IQ, Zigweid R, Abendroth J, Rice CA, McCord HT, Wilson S, Fenwick MK, Morris JC. Characterization of Glucokinases from Pathogenic Free-Living Amoebae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0237321. [PMID: 35604214 PMCID: PMC9211422 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02373-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with pathogenic free-living amoebae, including Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba spp., and Balamuthia mandrillaris, can lead to life-threatening illnesses, primarily because of catastrophic central nervous system involvement. Efficacious treatment options for these infections are lacking, and the mortality rate due to infection is high. Previously, we evaluated the N. fowleri glucokinase (NfGlck) as a potential target for therapeutic intervention, as glucose metabolism is critical for in vitro viability. Here, we extended these studies to the glucokinases from two other pathogenic free-living amoebae, including Acanthamoeba castellanii (AcGlck) and B. mandrillaris (BmGlck). While these enzymes are similar (49.3% identical at the amino acid level), they have distinct kinetic properties that distinguish them from each other. For ATP, AcGlck and BmGlck have apparent Km values of 472.5 and 41.0 μM, while Homo sapiens Glck (HsGlck) has a value of 310 μM. Both parasite enzymes also have a higher apparent affinity for glucose than the human counterpart, with apparent Km values of 45.9 μM (AcGlck) and 124 μM (BmGlck) compared to ~8 mM for HsGlck. Additionally, AcGlck and BmGlck differ from each other and other Glcks in their sensitivity to small molecule inhibitors, suggesting that inhibitors with pan-amoebic activity could be challenging to generate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian E. Milanes
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Jimmy Suryadi
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Neil P. Monaghan
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Elijah M. Harding
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Corbin S. Morris
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Soren D. Rozema
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Muhammad M. Khalifa
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jennifer E. Golden
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Isabelle Q. Phan
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Center for Global Infection Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rachael Zigweid
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Center for Global Infection Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jan Abendroth
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Center for Global Infection Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- UCB BioSciences, Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
| | - Christopher A. Rice
- Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Center for Drug Discovery, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Hayden T. McCord
- Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Center for Drug Discovery, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Stevin Wilson
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Facility, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Michael K. Fenwick
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Center for Global Infection Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - James C. Morris
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
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Siddiqui R, Abouleish MY, Khamis M, Ibrahim T, Khan NA. Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis: Potential Application of Ionic Liquids Against Brain-Eating Amoebae? Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:1032-1034. [PMID: 35294972 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-022-00532-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri, a well-known brain-eating amoeba, induces high mortality with no available effective treatment. Ionic liquids are compounds that contain a variety of cations and anions that can be tailored to specific applications. Based on the biological, chemical and physical properties of these ionic liquids, this work proposes the use of ionic liquids as novel anti-Naegleria fowleri biocides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Mustafa Khamis
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Taleb Ibrahim
- College of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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A Shahin S, H Alarcon J, Brosky HN, Lamori JG, Dada AC, Xue J, Gyawali P, P Sherchan S. Occurrence of Naegleria fowleri and faecal indicators in sediments from Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana. J Water Health 2022; 20:657-669. [PMID: 35482382 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2022.285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, in sediment samples from Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana was investigated. This amoeba is pathogenic and can cause primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. In this study, quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods were used to test for the prevalence of Naegleria fowleri, HF183, and E. coli. N. fowleri was detected in 51.25% of our sediment samples. Illumina sequencing of sediment samples revealed ten different phyla, with Cyanobacteria being the most predominant at sites that generally presented with the highest median N. fowleri concentrations. N. fowleri was however strongly negatively correlated with HF183 (r = -0.859, p < 0.001). Whenever sediment E. coli concentrations were below 1.54 Log GC/g, there was only a 37.5% chance that N. fowleri would be detected in the same sample. When sediment E. coli concentrations exceeded 2.77 Log GC/g, the chances of detecting N. fowleri in the same sample increased to 90%, potentially suggesting predatory activity by the amoeba. The effect of temperature was observed to be different in relation to observed N. fowleri concentrations and detection rates. Although sediment samples collected during periods of higher temperatures had significantly lower mean N. fowleri concentrations (2.7 Log GC/g) compared to those collected at lower temperatures (3.7 Log GC/g, t(39) = 4.167, p < 0.001), higher N. fowleri detection rates in the overall samples were observed at higher temperatures (>19.1 °C) than at lower temperatures (<19.1 °C).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalina A Shahin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA E-mail:
| | - Joshua H Alarcon
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA E-mail:
| | - Hanna N Brosky
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA E-mail:
| | - Jennifer G Lamori
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA E-mail:
| | | | - Jia Xue
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA E-mail:
| | - Pradip Gyawali
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd, Porirua 5240, New Zealand
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA E-mail: ; Department of Biology, Morgan State University, 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251, USA
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38
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Martín-Escolano R, Yiangou L, Kazana E, Robinson GK, Michaelis M, Tsaousis AD. Repurposing in vitro approaches for screening anti-parasitic drugs against the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2021; 17:204-212. [PMID: 34875573 PMCID: PMC8652063 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is both a pathogenic and a free-living microbial eukaryote, responsible for the development of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in humans. PAM is a rapid, severe and fatal underestimated infectious disease, which has been reported in countries with warmer climates. The major drawbacks with PAM are the lack of effective therapies and delay in diagnosis. The current frontline treatment presents a low rate of recovery (5%) and severe adverse effects. For example, many drug candidates lack efficacy, since they do not effectively cross the blood-brain-barrier. Consequently, more effective drugs are urgently needed. Herein, we report a new in vitro method suitable for medium- and high-throughput drug discovery assays, using the closely related Naegleria gruberi as a model. We have subsequently used this method to screen a library of 1175 Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs. As a result, we present three drugs (camptothecin, pyrimethamine, and terbinafine) that can be repurposed, and are anticipated to readily cross the blood-brain-barrier with activity against Naegleria species in therapeutically achievable concentrations. Successively, we integrated several in vitro assays that resulted in identifying fast-acting and high amoebicidal drugs. In conclusion, we present a new approach for the identification of anti-Naegleria drugs along with three potential drug candidates for further development for the treatment of PAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Martín-Escolano
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID Group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Lyto Yiangou
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID Group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK; School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Eleanna Kazana
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID Group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Gary K Robinson
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Martin Michaelis
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK.
| | - Anastasios D Tsaousis
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID Group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK; School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK.
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Rizo-Liendo A, Arberas-Jiménez I, Sifaoui I, Gkolfi D, Santana Y, Cotos L, Tejedor D, García-Tellado F, Piñero JE, Lorenzo-Morales J. The therapeutic potential of novel isobenzofuranones against Naegleria fowleri. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2021; 17:139-149. [PMID: 34627024 PMCID: PMC8501684 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The Free-Living Amoeba species, Naegleria fowleri is the causative agent of a lethal encephalitis known as Primary Amoebic Encephalitis (PAM). Moreover, most of the reported cases are often related to swimming and/or diving in aquatic environments. In addition, the current therapeutic options against PAM are not fully effective and hence, there is an urgent need to develop novel therapeutic agents against this disease. Previously isobenzofuranones compounds have been reported to present antiprotozoal and antifungal activity among others. However, to the best of our knowledge, these molecules have not been previously tested against N. fowleri. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of 14 novel isobenzofuranones against this pathogenic amoeba. The most active and less toxic molecules, were assayed in order to check induction of Programmed Cell Death (PCD) in the treated amoebae. The obtained results showed that these molecules were able to eliminate N. fowleri trophozoites and also induced PCD. Therefore, the tested isobenzofuranones could be potential therapeutic candidates for the treatment of PAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aitor Rizo-Liendo
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203, Islas Canarias, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad De La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203, Islas Canarias, Spain; Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET), Spain
| | - Iñigo Arberas-Jiménez
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203, Islas Canarias, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad De La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203, Islas Canarias, Spain; Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET), Spain
| | - Ines Sifaoui
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203, Islas Canarias, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad De La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203, Islas Canarias, Spain; Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET), Spain; Consorcio Centro De Investigacion Biomedica En Red M.P. (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Inst. de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Dimitra Gkolfi
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain
| | - Yiset Santana
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain
| | - Leandro Cotos
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain
| | - David Tejedor
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain.
| | - Fernando García-Tellado
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain
| | - José E Piñero
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203, Islas Canarias, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad De La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203, Islas Canarias, Spain; Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET), Spain; Consorcio Centro De Investigacion Biomedica En Red M.P. (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Inst. de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jacob Lorenzo-Morales
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203, Islas Canarias, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad De La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203, Islas Canarias, Spain; Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET), Spain; Consorcio Centro De Investigacion Biomedica En Red M.P. (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Inst. de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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Afzal SS, Arif A, Lal PM. Naegleria Fowleri: Rising Cases Due To A Unique Strain In Pakistan. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad 2021; 33:547-548. [PMID: 35124904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Aabiya Arif
- Ziauddin Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan
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Yaw TJ, O'Neil P, Gary JM, Ali IK, Cowart JR, Wallace RS, Estep JS. Primary amebic meningoencephalomyelitis caused by Naegleria fowleri in a south-central black rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis minor). J Am Vet Med Assoc 2020; 255:219-223. [PMID: 31260399 DOI: 10.2460/javma.255.2.219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION A 20-year-old female south-central black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis minor) was evaluated because of an acute onset of CNS deficits. CLINICAL FINDINGS The rhinoceros had no history of illness. Clinical signs included acute lethargy, ataxia, and decreased appetite. Hematologic abnormalities included leukocytosis with neutrophilia and a profound left shift. Results of serum biochemical analysis revealed hypophosphatemia but no other abnormalities. Results of a quantitative PCR assay for West Nile virus and an assay for anti-Neosporum caninum antibodies in serum were negative; the patient was seropositive for multiple Leptospira serovars. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME Antimicrobials and anti-inflammatory agents were administered, but the condition of the rhinoceros worsened overnight; despite treatment with additional anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents, IV fluids, and thiamine, it became obtunded and died of respiratory arrest ≤ 24 hours later. Necropsy revealed severe, diffuse, suppurative, and histiocytic meningo-encephalomyelitis involving the cerebrum, cerebellum, and spinal cord. Amebic trophozoites were observed on histologic examination of affected tissue. Infection with Naegleria fowleri was confirmed by results of immuno-histochemical analysis and a multiplex real-time PCR assay. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Findings suggested that south-central black rhinoceros are susceptible to the free-living ameba N fowleri. Ameba-induced meningoencephalomyelitis should be considered as a differential diagnosis for rhinoceros that have an acute onset of neurologic signs. Diagnosis of N fowleri infection in an animal has a profound public health impact because of potential human exposure from the environment and the high fatality rate in people with N fowleri infection.
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Cope JR, Kahler AM, Causey J, Williams JG, Kihlken J, Benjamin C, Ames AP, Forsman J, Zhu Y, Yoder JS, Seidel CJ, Hill VR. Response and remediation actions following the detection of Naegleria fowleri in two treated drinking water distribution systems, Louisiana, 2013-2014. J Water Health 2019; 17:777-787. [PMID: 31638028 PMCID: PMC7075671 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2019.239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri causes the usually fatal disease primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), typically in people who have been swimming in warm, untreated freshwater. Recently, some cases in the United States were associated with exposure to treated drinking water. In 2013, a case of PAM was reported for the first time in association with the exposure to water from a US treated drinking water system colonized with culturable N. fowleri. This system and another were found to have multiple areas with undetectable disinfectant residual levels. In response, the water distribution systems were temporarily converted from chloramine disinfection to chlorine to inactivate N. fowleri and reduced biofilm in the distribution systems. Once >1.0 mg/L free chlorine residual was attained in all systems for 60 days, water testing was performed; N. fowleri was not detected in water samples after the chlorine conversion. This investigation highlights the importance of maintaining adequate residual disinfectant levels in drinking water distribution systems. Water distribution system managers should be knowledgeable about the ecology of their systems, understand potential water quality changes when water temperatures increase, and work to eliminate areas in which biofilm growth may be problematic and affect water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R Cope
- Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infections Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA E-mail:
| | - Amy M Kahler
- Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infections Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA E-mail:
| | - Jake Causey
- Corona Environmental Consulting, 1001 Hingham St, Suite 102, Rockland, MA 02370, USA
| | - John G Williams
- Louisiana Department of Health, 628 North 4th St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA
| | - Jennifer Kihlken
- Louisiana Department of Health, 628 North 4th St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA
| | - Caryn Benjamin
- Louisiana Department of Health, 628 North 4th St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA
| | - Amanda P Ames
- Louisiana Department of Health, 628 North 4th St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA
| | - Johan Forsman
- Louisiana Department of Health, 628 North 4th St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA
| | - Yuanda Zhu
- Louisiana Department of Health, 628 North 4th St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA
| | - Jonathan S Yoder
- Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infections Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA E-mail:
| | - Chad J Seidel
- Corona Environmental Consulting, 1001 Hingham St, Suite 102, Rockland, MA 02370, USA
| | - Vincent R Hill
- Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infections Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA E-mail:
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Abstract
This study develops novel dose-response models for Naegleria fowleri from selected peer-reviewed experiments on the virulence based on the intranasal exposure pathway. One data set measured the response of mice intranasally inoculated with the amebae and the other study addressed the response of mice swimming in N. fowleri infected water. The measured response for both studies was death. All experimental data were best fit by the beta-Poisson dose-response model. The three swimming experiments could be pooled, and this is the final recommended model with an LD50 of 13,257 amebae. The results of this study provide a better estimate of the probability of the risk to N. fowleri exposure than the previous models developed based on an intravenous exposure. An accurate dose-response model is the first step in quantifying the risk of free-living amebae like N. fowleri, which pose risks in recreational environments and have been detected in drinking water and premise plumbing systems. A better understanding of this risk will allow for risk management that limits the ability for pathogen growth, proliferation, and exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Dean
- College of Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Mark H Weir
- Environmental Health Sciences, The Ohio State University, College of Public Health, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jade Mitchell
- Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA E-mail:
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Yu Z, Miller HC, Puzon GJ, Clowers BH. Application of untargeted metabolomics for the detection of pathogenic Naegleria fowleri in an operational drinking water distribution system. Water Res 2018; 145:678-686. [PMID: 30212806 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Found in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs), swimming pools, and recreational waters, N. fowleri, is the causative agent of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Although cases of N. fowleri infections are rare, the fatality is comparatively high (>95%) and surveillance is essential to minimize N. fowleri infections. However, conventional N. fowleri detection methods are less satisfying owing to their time-consuming and lab intensive characteristics as well as the lack of the ability to determine viability. As a result, an alternative detection approach capable of determining viability as well as species identification is required to better ensure public health. Based on our previous research focusing on distinguishing laboratory cultured N. fowleri from N. lovaniensis and N. italica, this study applies untargeted metabolomics methods to field samples from operational DWDSs. A list of diagnostic features was found to preliminarily discriminate the N. fowleri positive from N. fowleri negative and N. lovaniensis positive field samples with satisfying predictive accuracy. The results outlined in this manuscript further validate and improve the metabolite-based N. fowleri detection approach, potentially aiding water utilities in the detection and management of N. fowleri in drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Yu
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, P.O. Box 644630, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Haylea C Miller
- CSIRO Land and Water, Centre for Environment and Life Sciences, Private Bag No. 5, Wembley, Western Australia, 6913, Australia
| | - Geoffrey J Puzon
- CSIRO Land and Water, Centre for Environment and Life Sciences, Private Bag No. 5, Wembley, Western Australia, 6913, Australia
| | - Brian H Clowers
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, P.O. Box 644630, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
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Matanock A, Mehal JM, Liu L, Blau DM, Cope JR. Estimation of Undiagnosed Naegleria fowleri Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis, United States 1. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 24:162-164. [PMID: 29260676 PMCID: PMC5749439 DOI: 10.3201/eid2401.170545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis is an acute, rare, typically fatal disease. We used epidemiologic risk factors and multiple cause-of-death mortality data to estimate the number of deaths that fit the typical pattern for primary amebic meningoencephalitis; we estimated an annual average of 16 deaths (8 male, 8 female) in the United States.
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46
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Miller HC, Wylie JT, Kaksonen AH, Sutton D, Puzon GJ. Competition between Naegleria fowleri and Free Living Amoeba Colonizing Laboratory Scale and Operational Drinking Water Distribution Systems. Environ Sci Technol 2018; 52:2549-2557. [PMID: 29390181 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b05717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Free living amoebae (FLA), including pathogenic Naegleria fowleri, can colonize and grow within pipe wall biofilms of drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs). Studies on the interactions between various FLA species in biofilms are limited. Understanding the interaction between FLA and the broader biofilm ecology could help better predict DWDS susceptibility to N. fowleri colonization. The aim of this study was to determine if N. fowleri and other FLAs ( Naegleria, Vermamoeba, Willaertia, and Vahlkampfia spp.) cocolonize DWDS biofilm. FLAs commonly isolated from DWDSs ( N. fowleri, V. vermiformis, and N. lovaniensis) were introduced into laboratory-scale biomonitors to determine the impact of these amoebae on N. fowleri's presence and viability. Over 18 months, a single viable amoebae ( N. fowleri, N. lovaniensis, or V. vermiformis) was detected in each biofilm sample, with the exception of N. lovaniensis and N. fowleri, which briefly cocolonized biofilm following their coinoculation. The analysis of biofilm and bulk water samples from operational DWDSs revealed a similar lack of cocolonization with a single FLA detected in 99% ( n = 242) of samples. Interestingly, various Naegleria spp. did colonize the same DWDS locations but at different times. This knowledge furthers the understanding of ecological factors which enable N. fowleri to colonize and survive within operational DWDSs and could aid water utilities to control its occurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haylea C Miller
- CSIRO Land and Water , Private Bag No. 5 , Wembley , Western Australia 6913 , Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences , University of Western Australia , 35 Stirling Highway , Crawley , Western Australia 6009 , Australia
| | - Jason T Wylie
- CSIRO Land and Water , Private Bag No. 5 , Wembley , Western Australia 6913 , Australia
| | - Anna H Kaksonen
- CSIRO Land and Water , Private Bag No. 5 , Wembley , Western Australia 6913 , Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences , University of Western Australia , 35 Stirling Highway , Crawley , Western Australia 6009 , Australia
| | - David Sutton
- School of Biomedical Sciences , University of Western Australia , 35 Stirling Highway , Crawley , Western Australia 6009 , Australia
| | - Geoffrey J Puzon
- CSIRO Land and Water , Private Bag No. 5 , Wembley , Western Australia 6913 , Australia
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Yu Z, Miller HC, Puzon GJ, Clowers BH. Development of Untargeted Metabolomics Methods for the Rapid Detection of Pathogenic Naegleria fowleri. Environ Sci Technol 2017; 51:4210-4219. [PMID: 28290675 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b05969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite comparatively low levels of infection, primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) induced by Naegleria fowleri is extremely lethal, with mortality rates above 95%. As a thermophile, this organism is often found in moderate-to-warm climates and has the potential to colonize drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs). Current detection approaches require days to obtain results, whereas swift corrective action can maximize the benefit of public health. Presently, there is little information regarding the underlying in situ metabolism for this amoeba but the potential exists to exploit differentially expressed metabolic signatures as a rapid detection technique. This research outlines the biochemical profiles of selected pathogenic and nonpathogenic Naegleria in vitro using an untargeted metabolomics approach to identify a panel of diagnostically meaningful compounds that may enable rapid detection of viable pathogenic N. fowleri and augment results from traditional monitoring approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Yu
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University , P.O. Box 644630, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
| | - Haylea C Miller
- CSIRO Land and Water, Centre for Environment and Life Sciences , Private Bag No. 5, Wembley, Western Australia 6913, Australia
| | - Geoffrey J Puzon
- CSIRO Land and Water, Centre for Environment and Life Sciences , Private Bag No. 5, Wembley, Western Australia 6913, Australia
| | - Brian H Clowers
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University , P.O. Box 644630, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States
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Miller HC, Morgan MJ, Wylie JT, Kaksonen AH, Sutton D, Braun K, Puzon GJ. Elimination of Naegleria fowleri from bulk water and biofilm in an operational drinking water distribution system. Water Res 2017; 110:15-26. [PMID: 27974249 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2016.11.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Revised: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Global incidence of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis cases associated with domestic drinking water is increasing. The need for understanding disinfectant regimes capable of eliminating the causative microorganism, Naegleria fowleri, from bulk water and pipe wall biofilms is critical. This field study demonstrated the successful elimination of N. fowleri from the bulk water and pipe wall biofilm of a persistently colonised operational drinking water distribution system (DWDS), and the prevention of further re-colonisation. A new chlorination unit was installed along the pipe line to boost the free chlorine residual to combat the persistence of N. fowleri. Biofilm and bulk water were monitored prior to and after re-chlorination (RCl), pre-rechlorination (pre-RCl) and post-rechlorination (post-RCl), respectively, for one year. A constant free chlorine concentration of > 1 mg/L resulted in the elimination of N. fowleri from both the bulk water and biofilm at the post-RCl site. Other amoeba species were detected during the first two months of chlorination, but all amoebae were eliminated from both the bulk water and biofilm at post-RCl after 60 days of chlorination with free chlorine concentrations > 1 mg/L. In addition, a dynamic change in the biofilm community composition and a four log reduction in biofilm cell density occurred post-RCl. The pre-RCl site continued to be seasonally colonised by N. fowleri, but the constant free chlorine residual of > 1 mg/L prevented N. fowleri from recolonising the bulk and pipe wall biofilm at the post-RCl site. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate successful removal of N. fowleri from both the bulk and pipe wall biofilm and prevention of re-colonisation of N. fowleri in an operational DWDS. The findings of this study are of importance to water utilities in addressing the presence of N. fowleri and other amoeba in susceptible DWDSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haylea C Miller
- CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag No.5, Wembley, Western Australia 6913, Australia; School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Matthew J Morgan
- CSIRO Land and Water, Black Mountain Laboratories, P.O. Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Jason T Wylie
- CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag No.5, Wembley, Western Australia 6913, Australia
| | - Anna H Kaksonen
- CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag No.5, Wembley, Western Australia 6913, Australia; School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - David Sutton
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Kalan Braun
- Water Corporation of Western Australia, 629 Newcastle Street, Leederville, Western Australia 6007, Australia
| | - Geoffrey J Puzon
- CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag No.5, Wembley, Western Australia 6913, Australia.
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Sherin K, Linam WM, Jett S. Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis as Cause of Headache and Fever. Am Fam Physician 2016; 93:644. [PMID: 27175836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
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50
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Zahid MF, Saad Shaukat MH, Ahmed B, Beg MA, Kadir MM, Mahmood SF. Comparison of the clinical presentations of Naegleria fowleri primary amoebic meningoencephalitis with pneumococcal meningitis: a case-control study. Infection 2016; 44:505-11. [PMID: 26922583 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-016-0878-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rare but fatal infection caused by Naegleria fowleri. The infection is acquired by deep nasal irrigation with infected water. Patients present with signs and symptoms similar to pneumococcal meningitis, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment and hence high mortality. METHODS We conducted a case-control study comparing culture proven cases of PAM with pneumococcal meningitis presenting to our center between April 2008 and September 2014. Only patients with blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid cultures positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae during the same time period were included for comparison. RESULTS There were 19 cases of PAM and pneumococcal meningitis, each. When comparing PAM with pneumococcal meningitis, patients with PAM were more likely to be male (89.5 vs. 36.8 %), younger (mean age: 30 vs. 59 years), present with seizures (42.1 vs. 5.3 %). Both groups of patients presented with similar vital signs and there were no remarkable differences on physical examinations, Glasgow Coma Scale scores, laboratory and radiological investigations and cerebrospinal fluid parameters. PAM was also more likely to present if the city's average maximum temperature was higher in the previous week (mean: 34.6 vs. 30 °C). There was history of fresh water contact in only one patient. On multivariate analysis, PAM was more likely if patients presented when the city's average maximum temperature was high, being young males. CONCLUSION PAM and pneumococcal meningitis remain virtually indistinguishable; however, these predictive features should be validated in a prospective study and may lead to a viable algorithm for early management of these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bilal Ahmed
- Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Mohammad Asim Beg
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Syed Faisal Mahmood
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
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