Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The use of high-resolution 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in the clinical diagnosis of Acanthamoeba

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Acanthamoeba are opportunistic protozoan pathogens that can produce sight-threatening keratitis and fatal granulomatous encephalitis. The successful prognosis requires early diagnosis and differentiation of pathogenic Acanthamoeba spp. followed by aggressive treatment regimen. In this study, we tested the use of high-resolution 1H NMR spectroscopy in the clinical diagnosis of Acanthamoeba. Using NMR spectroscopy combined with Pattern Recognition Analysis (PRA), we analysed variations in the biochemical ‘fingerprint’ of invasive and non-invasive Acanthamoeba, its closely related genus, Balamuthia mandrillaris, neuropathogenic Escherichia coli K1 strain E44, a laboratory strain of E. coli K-12, HB101, mammalian cells including human brain microvascular endothelial cells and monkey kidney cells. The findings revealed significant variations in the metabolites of amoebae, mammalian cells and bacteria. Interestingly, 1H NMR spectra provided distinct biochemical profiles of clinical and non-clinical Acanthamoeba isolates highlighting the potential of 1H NMR spectroscopy combined with PRA for the development of a novel diagnostic test that could rapidly identify pathogenic Acanthamoeba isolates with high sensitivity and specificity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alsam S, Kim KS, Stins M, Rivas AO, Sissons J, Khan NA (2003) Acanthamoeba interactions with human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Microb Pathog 35:235–241

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bollard ME, Stanley EG, Lindon JC, Nicholson JK, Holmes E (2005) NMR-based metabonomic approaches for evaluating physiological influences on biofluid composition. NMR Biomed 18:143–162

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Booton GC, Visvesvara GS, Byers TJ, Kelly DJ, Fuerst PA (2005) Identification and distribution of Acanthamoeba species genotypes associated with nonkeratitis infections. J Clin Microbiol 43:1689–1693

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Corsaro D, Venditti D (2010) Phylogenetic evidence for a new genotype of Acanthamoeba (Amoebozoa, Acanthamoebida). Parasitol Res 107:233–238

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dart JK, Saw VP, Kilvington S (2009) Acanthamoeba keratitis: diagnosis and treatment update 2009. Am J Ophthalmol 148:487–499

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hadaś E, Mazur T (1993) Biochemical markers of pathogenicity and virulence of Acanthamoeba sp. strains. Parasitol Res 79:696–698

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Himmelreich U, Somorjai RL, Dolenko B, Lee OC, Daniel HM, Murray R, Mountford CE, Sorrell TC (2003) Rapid identification of Candida species by using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and a statistical classification strategy. Appl Environ Microbiol 69:4566–4574

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Howe DK, Vodkin MH, Novak RJ, Visvesvara G, McLaughlin GL (1996) Identification of two genetic markers that distinguish pathogenic and nonpathogenic strains of Acanthamoeba spp. Parasitol Res 83:345–348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan NA (2009) Acanthamoeba: biology and pathogenesis. Caister Academic Press, Norwich, p 290. ISBN: 978-1-904455-43-1

  • Khan NA, Goldsworthy GJ (2007) Novel model to study virulence determinants of Escherichia coli K1. Infect Immun 75:5735–5739

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan NA, Siddiqui R (2009) Acanthamoeba affects the integrity of the human brain microvascular endothelial cells and degrades the tight junction proteins. Int J Parasitol 39:1611–1616

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lorenzo-Morales J, Ortega-Rivas A, Foronda P, Martínez E, Valladares B (2005) Isolation and identification of pathogenic Acanthamoeba strains in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain from water sources. Parasitol Res 95:273–277

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marciano-Cabral F, Cabral G (2003) Acanthamoeba spp. as agents of disease in humans. Clin Microbiol Rev 16:273–307

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martinez AJ, Visvesvara GS (1997) Free-living, amphizoic and opportunistic amebas. Brain Pathol 7:583–598

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matias R, Schottelius J, Raddatz CF, Michel R (1991) Species identification and characterization of an Acanthamoeba strain from human cornea. Parasitol Res 77:469–474

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matin A, Jeong SR, Faull J, Rivas AO, Khan NA (2006) Evaluation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells as food source for Balamuthia mandrillaris. Arch Microbiol 186:261–271

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nuprasert W, Putaporntip C, Pariyakanok L, Jongwutiwes S (2010) Identification of a novel t17 genotype of Acanthamoeba from environmental isolates and t10 genotype causing keratitis in Thailand. J Clin Microbiol 48:4636–4640

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parkes H, Gwenaelle G, Thompson E, Surtees R, Gadian D (2000) High resolution 1H NMR analysis of cerebrospinal fluid: applications to diseases affecting the brain. Proc Int Soc Magn Reson Med 8:1147

    Google Scholar 

  • Qvarnstrom Y, Visvesvara GS, Sriram R, da Silva AJ (2006) Multiplex real-time PCR assay for simultaneous detection of Acanthamoeba spp., Balamuthia mandrillaris, and Naegleria fowleri. J Clin Microbiol 44:3589–3595

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schroeder JM, Booton GC, HAY J, Niszil IA, Seal DV, Markus MB, Fuerst PA, Byers TJ (2001) Use of subgenic 18S ribosomal DNA PCR and sequencing for genus and genotype identification of Acanthamoeba from humans with keratitis and from sewage sludge. J Clin Microbiol 39:1903–1911

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma S, Srinivasan M, George C (1990) Diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis—a report of four cases and review of literature. Indian J Ophthalmol 38:50–56

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava S, Govil G (2001) Application of NMR to the study of cells and body fluids. Curr Org Chem 5:1039–1057

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stockman LJ, Wright CJ, Visvesvara GS, Fields BS, Beach MJ (2011) Prevalence of Acanthamoeba spp. and other free-living amoebae in household water, Ohio, USA—1990–1992. Parasitol Res 108:621–627

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Visvesvara GS, Moura H, Schuster FL (2007) Pathogenic and opportunistic free-living amoebae: Acanthamoeba spp., Balamuthia mandrillaris, Naegleria fowleri, and Sappinia diploidea. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol 50:1–26

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Walochnik J, Sommer K, Obwaller A, Haller-Schober EM, Aspöck H (2004) Characterisation and differentiation of pathogenic and non-pathogenic Acanthamoeba strains by their protein and antigen profiles. Parasitol Res 92:289–298

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Holmes E, Nicholson JK, Cloarec O, Chollet J, Tanner M, Singer BH, Utzinger J (2004) Metabonomic investigations in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni: an approach for biomarker identification. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101:12676–12681

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK

    Sandra Hauber

  2. Institute of Neurology, University College London, University of London, London, UK

    Hary Parkes

  3. Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, Karachi, Pakistan

    Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui & Naveed Ahmed Khan

  4. School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, England, UK

    Naveed Ahmed Khan

Authors
  1. Sandra Hauber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hary Parkes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Naveed Ahmed Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Naveed Ahmed Khan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hauber, S., Parkes, H., Siddiqui, R. et al. The use of high-resolution 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in the clinical diagnosis of Acanthamoeba . Parasitol Res 109, 1661–1669 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2439-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2439-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation