Scholarly Articles
Detection of Free Living Amoebae in Korean Aquatic Environment by using Molecular-based Technique
Journals
IUMS 2017
Author
김민정,이근혜,이현지,이규철,조영철
Publication Date
20170720
Objectives: Acanthamoeba spp. and Naegleria fowleri are free-living amoebas (FLA) widely distributed in natural environments and are associated with some severe diseases in humans. N. fowleri, known as the "brain-eating amoeba", is a species of the genus Naegleria, belonging to the phylum Percolozoa. It can be pathogenic, causing a severe brain infection called naegleriasis. We compared some molecular methods and set up the most sensitive detection method, duplex real-time PCR, in order to detect 2 kinds of amoeba in water simultaneously. And then, we investigated two kinds of FLA in some raw water samples on a trial basis.
Methods: A total of 12 samples were collected from three major streams in Daejeon city, Republic of Korea. Raw water samples were filtered and concentrated by centrifugation, and the final pellet was inoculated on non-nutrient agar plates and incubated for 5 to 7 days at 30°C. After microscopic observation, the total genomic DNA was extracted and analyzed using the duplex real-time PCR method.
Results: Our results showed that 83% (10 out of 12) of samples contained Acanthamoeba spp. whereas 25% (3 out of 12) of water samples were positive for N. fowleri. People who died of N. fowleri were reported in countries such as the US, China, and Japan. No case of N. fowleri infection or the death caused by N. fowleri has been reported in Korea. There have been no reports of detection of N. fowleri in Korean small rivers until now. Therefore, this is the first report to show that N. fowleri exists in Korean aquatic environments.
Conclusion: To identify the distribution of FLA in raw water in more detail, and to secure the public water safety, further surveys should be continuously conducted.
Methods: A total of 12 samples were collected from three major streams in Daejeon city, Republic of Korea. Raw water samples were filtered and concentrated by centrifugation, and the final pellet was inoculated on non-nutrient agar plates and incubated for 5 to 7 days at 30°C. After microscopic observation, the total genomic DNA was extracted and analyzed using the duplex real-time PCR method.
Results: Our results showed that 83% (10 out of 12) of samples contained Acanthamoeba spp. whereas 25% (3 out of 12) of water samples were positive for N. fowleri. People who died of N. fowleri were reported in countries such as the US, China, and Japan. No case of N. fowleri infection or the death caused by N. fowleri has been reported in Korea. There have been no reports of detection of N. fowleri in Korean small rivers until now. Therefore, this is the first report to show that N. fowleri exists in Korean aquatic environments.
Conclusion: To identify the distribution of FLA in raw water in more detail, and to secure the public water safety, further surveys should be continuously conducted.