Abstract
A total of 13 strains ofNaegleria fowleri were cytopathogenic for lung, kidney, foreskin, ovary, connective tissue, neuroblastoma, laryngeal carcinoma, and cervical carcinoma mammalian cell lines. The strains ofN. fowleri varied considerably in their ability to produce a cytopathic effect (CPE). Likewise, the different mammalian cell lines exhibited varying degrees of susceptibility to the cytopathogenicity of the amebae. The African green-monkey kidney (Vero) cell line proved to be useful for assessing the cytopathogenic potential ofN. fowleri strains. Although one strain failed to produce CPE in Vero-cell cultures, it did so in the two neuroblastoma cell lines. Other factors affecting the extent of CPE produced were incubation temperature, ameba: mammalian cell ratio, and the length of time during which amebae were maintained in cell culture.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson K, Jamieson A (1972) Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Lancet I:902–903
Brown T (1978) Observations by light microscopy on the cytopathogenicity ofNaegleria fowleri in mouse embryo-cell cultures. J Med Microbiol 11:249–259
Brown T (1979) Observations by immunofluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy on the cytopathogenicity ofNaegleria fowleri in mouse embryo-cell cultures. J Med Microbiol 12:363–371
Bush LE, John DT (1988) Intranasal immunization of mice againstNaegleria fowleri. J Protozool 35:172–176
Carter RF (1970) Description of aNaegleria sp. isolated from two cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, and the experimental pathological changes induced by it. J Pathol 100:217–244
Chang SL (1974) Etiological, pathological, epidemiological and diagnostical considerations of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. CRC Crit Rev Microbiol 3:135–159
Cursons RTM, Brown T (1978) Use of cell cultures as an indicator of pathogenicity of free-living amoebae. J Clin Pathol 31:1–11
de Jonckheere J (1977) Use of an axenic medium for differentiation between pathogenic and nonpathogenicNaegleria fowleri isolates. Appl Environ Microbiol 33:751–757
Duma RJ, Rosenblum WI, McGehee RF, Jones MM, Nelson EC (1971) Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis caused byNaegleria. Ann Intern Med 74:923–931
Dunnebacke TH, Schuster FL (1985) Morphological response of cultured cells toNaegleria cytopathogenic material. J Cell Sci 75:1–16
Fulford DE, Bradley SG, Marciano-Cabral F (1985) Cytopathogenicity ofNaegleria fowleri for cultured rat neuroblastoma cells. J Protozool 32:176–180
Jadin JB, Hermanne J, Robyn G, Willaert E, Van Maercke Y, Stevens W (1971) Trois cas de méningo-encéphalite amibienne primitive observés à Anvers (Belgique). Ann Soc Belge Med Trop 51:255–266
John DT (1982) Primary amebic meningocephalitis and the biology ofNaegleria fowleri. Ann Rev Microbiol 36:101–123
John DT, Nussbaum SL (1983)Naegleria fowleri infection acquired by mice through swimming in amebae-contaminated water. J Parasitol 69:871–874
John DT, Cole TB Jr, Bruner RA (1985) Amebostomes ofNaegleria fowleri. J Protozool 32:12–19
John DT, Cole TB Jr, Marciano-Cabral FM (1984) Sucker-like structures on the pathogenic amoebaNaegleria fowleri. Appl Environ Microbiol 47:12–14
Marciano-Cabral F, John DT (1983) Cytopathogenicity ofNaegleria fowleri for rat neuroblastoma cell cultures: scanning electron microscopy study. Infect Immun 40:1214–1217
Marciano-Cabral FM, Patterson M, John DT, Bradley SG (1982) Cytopathogenicity ofNaegleria fowleri andNaegleria gruberi for established mammalian Cell cultures. J Parasitol 68:1110–1116
Martinez AJ (1985) Free-living amebas: natural history, prevention, diagnosis, pathology, and treatment of disease. CRC, Boca Raton, Fla
Martinez AJ, Nelson EC, Duma RJ (1973) Animal model: primary amebic (Naelgeria) meningoencephalitis in mice. Am J Pathol 73:545–548
McCool JA, Spudis EV, McLean W, White J, Visvesvara GS (1983) Primary amebic meningoencephalitis diagnosed in the emergency department. Ann Emerg Med 12:35–37
Nelson M (1977) Primary amebic meningoencephalitis in Texas. Tex Morbid This Week 33:1–3
Page FC (1967) Taxonomic criteria for limax amoebae, with descriptions of 3 new species ofHartmannella and 3 ofVahlkampfia. J Protozool 14:499–521
Seidel J (1985) Primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Pediatr Clin North Am 32:881–892
Seidel JS, Harmatz P, Visvesvara GS, Cohen A, Edwards J, Turner J (1982) Successful treatment of primary amebic meningoencephalitis. N Engl J Med 306:346–348
Van Den Driessche E, Vandepitte J, Van Dijck PJ, De Jonckheere J, Van De Voorde H (1973) Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis after swimming in stream water. Lancet II:971
Visvesvara GS, Callaway CS (1974) Light and electron microscopic observations on the pathogenesis ofNaegleria fowleri in mouse brain and tissue culture. J Protozool 21:239–250
Weik RR, John DT (1977) Agitated mass cultivation ofNaegleria fowleri. J Parasitol 63:868–871
Wellings FM, Amuso PT, Chang SL, Lewis AL (1977) Isolation and identification of pathogenicNaegleria from Florida lakes. Appl Environ Microbiol 34:661–667
Wong MM, Karr SL Jr, Chow CK (1977) Changes in the virulence ofNaegleria fowleri maintained in vitro. J Parasitol 63:872–878
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
John, D.T., John, R.A. Cytopathogenicity ofNaegleria fowleri in mammalian cell cultures. Parasitol Res 76, 20–25 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00931066
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00931066