Isolation And Identification Of Acanthamoeba From River Water And Its Relation With Physicochemical And Microbiological Parameters

Abstract

Amoebas belonging to the genus Acanthamoeba are free-living protozoa that may lead to keratitis and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis in humans. It is common and present in numerous environments such as water, air and soil. The current research aims to identify Acanthamoeba using morphological techniques and to assess its relation with physicochemical and microbiological parameters in river water. Purposive sampling was used to collect ten water samples between March and April 2023. Water quality's physical parameters were assessed in-situ, whereas chemical and microbiological tests were conducted in the laboratory. The samples were vacuum filtered using nitrate filters, placed on non-nutrient agar and examined microscopically for the growth of amoebas. Methylene blue dye was utilized to determine the morphological structure of the Acanthamoeba cyst. Acanthamoeba was detected in 8 out of 10 water samples using the in-vitro culture technique. The presence of Acanthamoeba showed a significant correlation with water temperature, pH value, COD, ammonia and sulphate. According to the cyst morphology described by Pussard and Pons, six isolates were classified as group II and two isolates as group III. This research is the first investigation in Malaysia describing the detection of Acanthamoeba in Templer Park river water. The presence of Acanthamoeba in recreational river water should be regarded as a health risk to the public, particularly for individuals at high risk. Therefore, it is advisable for health authorities to place warning signs to avert illnesses associated with pathogenic Acanthamoeba.