ISOLATION, DISTRIBUTION AND DISEASE POTENTIAL OF NAEGLERIA AND ACANTHAMOEBA (ORDER: AMOEBIDA) IN SOUTH AFRICA

Summary

During the period January 1971 to July 1976, over 240 strains of Naegleria, Acanthamoeba and other limax amoebae were isolated from a variety of habitats in South Africa and South West Africa. Seven strains of Naegleria fowleri and a strain of Acanthamoeba were isolated from a heavily polluted section of the Eerste River, Cape Province, South Africa. These 8 isolates have been identified as being potentially pathogenic, the first such report for Africa.

Limax amoebae have been discovered in previously undescribed habitats. Naegleria was found in marine mud and Acanthamoeba was isolated from desert sand. Both Naegleria and Acanthamoeba have been found in the alimentary tract of the clawed toad Xenopus laevis and in the faeces of the black duck Anas sparsa. These animals may act as vectors for the transmission of limax amoebae from one site to another.