Current Status of Acanthamoeba in Iran: A Narrative Review Article

Abstract

Background: Free-living amoebae belonging to the genus Acanthamoeba have an environmental distribution. Amoebic keratitis due to these protozoan parasites continue to rise in Iran and worldwide. In Iran, there are various researches regarding both morphological and molecular identification of Acanthamoeba spp. in environmental and clinical samples. However, there is no thorough review about Acanthamoeba genotypes and their distribution in environmental sources such as water, dust and biofilm in Iran. Besides, according to increasing cases of Amoebic keratitis in the region awareness regarding the pathogenic potential of these sight-threatening amoebae is of utmost importance.

Methods: We conducted a thorough review based on the database sources such as MEDLINE, PubMed and Google scholar. No restrictions were placed on study date, study design or language of publication. We searched all valuable and relevant information considering the occurrence of the Acanthamoeba in both environmental and clinical samples.

Results: According to our thorough review Acanthamoeba belonging to T4 genotype is the most prevalent type strain in environmental and clinical samples in several regions in Iran and worldwide, however, there are reports regarding Acanthamoeba belonging to other genotypes such as T2, T3, T5, T6 and T11 and the mentioned point could leads us to more researches with the goal of presenting the real genotype dominance of Acanthamoeba and related disease in the country.

Conclusion: Overall, the present review will focus on present status of genotypes of Acanthamoeba in Iran during recent years.

Keywords: Acanthamoeba keratitis; Acanthamoeba spp.; Encephalitis; Genotypes; Iran.

Fig. 1:

Acanthamoeba spp. cysts isolated from water, soil and dust (star shape cysts are shown in clump) (Magnification: A: x10; B, C, D:x40) (Figures are from Pathogenic free living amoebae in human book, Rezaeian M and Niyyati M, 2009)

Fig. 2:

Acanthamoeba spp. trophozoites isolated from soil and dust (flat shape trophozoites are shown) (Magnification: A: x10, B: x40)

Fig 3:

Acanthamoeba spp. cysts isolated from Acanthamoeba keratitis (triangular shape cysts are shown) (Magnification: x10)

Fig 4:

Acanthamoeba cysts isolated from Acanthamoeba keratitis (triangular shape cysts are shown) (Magnification: right: x10, left: x40)