Acanthamoeba
MICROBIOLOGY
- Free-living amoebae are ubiquitous in the environment and can be isolated worldwide from soil, air, and fresh- and saltwater.
- Eukaryotic protozoan that shares homologies with mammalian cells.[12]
- Other free-living amoebae include N. fowleri.
- Life cycle consists of 2 stages: the infective stage, which is a mobile trophozoite that ranges from 14-40 um in diameter, and the dormant stage, which is a double-walled, wrinkled cyst.
- The cyst is resistant to chlorine and antibiotics. Encystation occurs under stress.
- The minimal metabolic activity of cysts contributes to persistent infections; cysts can remain viable for decades.
- The transition from cyst to trophozoite occurs optimally in vitro at 30°C or 86°F.[8]
- The cyst is resistant to chlorine and antibiotics. Encystation occurs under stress.
- Acanthamoeba are described as “Trojan horses” because they can harbor intracellular bacteria.[14][4]
- Treatment of intracellular bacterial endosymbionts may attenuate inflammation associated with acanthamoebae infection.[10]
There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.
Last updated: October 9, 2023
Citation
Spacek, Lisa A. "Acanthamoeba." Johns Hopkins ABX Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2023. Pediatrics Central, peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540002/all/Acanthamoeba.
Spacek LA. Acanthamoeba. Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2023. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540002/all/Acanthamoeba. Accessed November 2, 2024.
Spacek, L. A. (2023). Acanthamoeba. In Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540002/all/Acanthamoeba
Spacek LA. Acanthamoeba [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2023. [cited 2024 November 02]. Available from: https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540002/all/Acanthamoeba.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Acanthamoeba
ID - 540002
A1 - Spacek,Lisa,M.D., Ph.D.
Y1 - 2023/10/09/
BT - Johns Hopkins ABX Guide
UR - https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540002/all/Acanthamoeba
PB - The Johns Hopkins University
DB - Pediatrics Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -