Background Free-living amoebae are present worldwide. They can survive in different environment causing human diseases in some instances. Acanthamoeba sp. is known for causing sight-threatening keratitis in humans. Free-living amoeba keratitis is more common in developing countries. Amoebae of family Vahlkampfiidae are rarely reported to cause such affections. A new genus, Allovahlkampfia spelaea was recently identified from caves with no data about pathogenicity in humans. We tried to identify the causative free-living amoeba in a case of keratitis in an Egyptian patient using morphological and molecular techniques. Methods Pathogenic amoebae were culture using monoxenic culture system. Identification through morphological features and 18S ribosomal RNA subunit DNA amplification and sequencing was done. Pathogenicity to laboratory rabbits and ability to produce keratitis were assessed experimentally. Results Allovahlkampfia spelaea was identified as a cause of human keratitis. Whole sequence of 18S ribosomal subunit DNA was sequenced and assembled. The Egyptian strain was closely related to SK1 strain isolated in Slovenia. The ability to induce keratitis was confirmed using animal model. Conclusions This the first time to report Allovahlkampfia spelaea as a human pathogen. Combining both molecular and morphological identification is critical to correctly diagnose amoebae causing keratitis in humans. Use of different pairs of primers and sequencing amplified DNA is needed to prevent misdiagnosis.

Background Free-living amoebae are present worldwide. They can survive in different environment causing human diseases in some instances. Acanthamoeba sp. is known for causing sight-threatening keratitis in humans. Free-living amoeba keratitis is more common in developing countries. Amoebae of family Vahlkampfiidae are rarely reported to cause such affections. A new genus, Allovahlkampfia spelaea was recently identified from caves with no data about pathogenicity in humans. We tried to identify the causative free-living amoeba in a case of keratitis in an Egyptian patient using morphological and molecular techniques. Methods Pathogenic amoebae were culture using monoxenic culture system. Identification through morphological features and 18S ribosomal RNA subunit DNA amplification and sequencing was done. Pathogenicity to laboratory rabbits and ability to produce keratitis were assessed experimentally. Results Allovahlkampfia spelaea was identified as a cause of human keratitis. Whole sequence of 18S ribosomal subunit DNA was sequenced and assembled. The Egyptian strain was closely related to SK1 strain isolated in Slovenia. The ability to induce keratitis was confirmed using animal model. Conclusions This the first time to report Allovahlkampfia spelaea as a human pathogen. Combining both molecular and morphological identification is critical to correctly diagnose amoebae causing keratitis in humans. Use of different pairs of primers and sequencing amplified DNA is needed to prevent misdiagnosis.

Background Free-living amoebae are present worldwide. They can survive in different environment causing human diseases in some instances. Acanthamoeba sp. is known for causing sight-threatening keratitis in humans. Free-living amoeba keratitis is more common in developing countries. Amoebae of family Vahlkampfiidae are rarely reported to cause such affections. A new genus, Allovahlkampfia spelaea was recently identified from caves with no data about pathogenicity in humans. We tried to identify the causative free-living amoeba in a case of keratitis in an Egyptian patient using morphological and molecular techniques. Methods Pathogenic amoebae were culture using monoxenic culture system. Identification through morphological features and 18S ribosomal RNA subunit DNA amplification and sequencing was done. Pathogenicity to laboratory rabbits and ability to produce keratitis were assessed experimentally. Results Allovahlkampfia spelaea was identified as a cause of human keratitis. Whole sequence of 18S ribosomal subunit DNA was sequenced and assembled. The Egyptian strain was closely related to SK1 strain isolated in Slovenia. The ability to induce keratitis was confirmed using animal model. Conclusions This the first time to report Allovahlkampfia spelaea as a human pathogen. Combining both molecular and morphological identification is critical to correctly diagnose amoebae causing keratitis in humans. Use of different pairs of primers and sequencing amplified DNA is needed to prevent misdiagnosis.

Background Free-living amoebae are present worldwide. They can survive in different environment causing human diseases in some instances. Acanthamoeba sp. is known for causing sight-threatening keratitis in humans. Free-living amoeba keratitis is more common in developing countries. Amoebae of family Vahlkampfiidae are rarely reported to cause such affections. A new genus, Allovahlkampfia spelaea was recently identified from caves with no data about pathogenicity in humans. We tried to identify the causative free-living amoeba in a case of keratitis in an Egyptian patient using morphological and molecular techniques. Methods Pathogenic amoebae were culture using monoxenic culture system. Identification through morphological features and 18S ribosomal RNA subunit DNA amplification and sequencing was done. Pathogenicity to laboratory rabbits and ability to produce keratitis were assessed experimentally. Results Allovahlkampfia spelaea was identified as a cause of human keratitis. Whole sequence of 18S ribosomal subunit DNA was sequenced and assembled. The Egyptian strain was closely related to SK1 strain isolated in Slovenia. The ability to induce keratitis was confirmed using animal model. Conclusions This the first time to report Allovahlkampfia spelaea as a human pathogen. Combining both molecular and morphological identification is critical to correctly diagnose amoebae causing keratitis in humans. Use of different pairs of primers and sequencing amplified DNA is needed to prevent misdiagnosis.

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence, organ distribution, morphological characters and economic importance of Cysticercus ovis and Cysticercus tenuicollis in sheep and goats. A total of 669 sheep and 484goats slaughtered at Aswan Slaughterhouse were carefully examined for these metacestodes. Cysticercus ovis was detected (1.94%) from slaughtered sheep. Cysticercus tenuicollis was found (13.3%) in sheep and (24.2%) in goats. The prevalence of both C.ovis and C.tenuicollis was higher in females than males and their prevalence was higher in older animals compared to the younger ones. For Cysticercus ovis, the highest infection was found in spring while the highest seasonal infection rate of Cysticercus tenuicollis in slaughtered sheep and goats was noted in autumn season. The infection with C.ovis was only found in the heart, while C.tenuicollis in slaughtered sheep and goats was found mainly in the omentum. These results suggest that the high prevalence of the metacestodes infection in this area is a great concern for both medical and veterinary authorities to design therapeutic and preventive programs to overcome this problem.

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence, organ distribution, morphological characters and economic importance of Cysticercus ovis and Cysticercus tenuicollis in sheep and goats. A total of 669 sheep and 484goats slaughtered at Aswan Slaughterhouse were carefully examined for these metacestodes. Cysticercus ovis was detected (1.94%) from slaughtered sheep. Cysticercus tenuicollis was found (13.3%) in sheep and (24.2%) in goats. The prevalence of both C.ovis and C.tenuicollis was higher in females than males and their prevalence was higher in older animals compared to the younger ones. For Cysticercus ovis, the highest infection was found in spring while the highest seasonal infection rate of Cysticercus tenuicollis in slaughtered sheep and goats was noted in autumn season. The infection with C.ovis was only found in the heart, while C.tenuicollis in slaughtered sheep and goats was found mainly in the omentum. These results suggest that the high prevalence of the metacestodes infection in this area is a great concern for both medical and veterinary authorities to design therapeutic and preventive programs to overcome this problem.

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence, organ distribution, morphological characters and economic importance of Cysticercus ovis and Cysticercus tenuicollis in sheep and goats. A total of 669 sheep and 484goats slaughtered at Aswan Slaughterhouse were carefully examined for these metacestodes. Cysticercus ovis was detected (1.94%) from slaughtered sheep. Cysticercus tenuicollis was found (13.3%) in sheep and (24.2%) in goats. The prevalence of both C.ovis and C.tenuicollis was higher in females than males and their prevalence was higher in older animals compared to the younger ones. For Cysticercus ovis, the highest infection was found in spring while the highest seasonal infection rate of Cysticercus tenuicollis in slaughtered sheep and goats was noted in autumn season. The infection with C.ovis was only found in the heart, while C.tenuicollis in slaughtered sheep and goats was found mainly in the omentum. These results suggest that the high prevalence of the metacestodes infection in this area is a great concern for both medical and veterinary authorities to design therapeutic and preventive programs to overcome this problem.

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