Summary
The complex ecology of free-living amoebae (FLA) and their role in spreading pathogenic microorganisms through water systems have recently raised considerable interest. In this study, we investigated the presence of FLA and amoebae-resisting bacteria (ARB) at various stages of a drinking water plant fed with river water. We isolated various amoebal species from the river and from several points within the plant, mostly at early steps of water treatment. Echinamoeba- and Hartmannella-related amoebae were mainly recovered in the drinking water plant whereas Acanthamoeba- and Naegleria-related amoebae were recovered from the river water and the sand filtration units. Some FLA isolates were recovered immediately after the ozonation step, thus suggesting resistance of these microorganisms to this disinfection procedure. A bacterial isolate related to Mycobacterium mucogenicum was recovered from an Echinamoeba-related amoeba isolated from ozone-treated water. Various other ARB were recovered using co-culture with axenic Acanthamoeba castellanii, including mycobacteria, legionella, Chlamydia-like organisms and various proteobacteria. Noteworthy, a new Parachlamydia acanthamoebae strain was recovered from river water and from granular activated carbon (GAC) biofilm. As amoebae mainly multiply in sand and GAC filters, optimization of filter backwash procedures probably offers a possibility to better control these protists and the risk associated with their intracellular hosts.

Biodiversity of amoebae and amoebae-resisting bacteria in a drinking water treatment plant.

Biology and pathogenesis of Naegleria fowleri

The effect of currently available contact lens disinfection systems on Acanthamoeba castellanii and Acanthamoeba polyphaga

Purpose Exposure to Acanthamoebaspecies appears to be ubiquitous, as 50% to 100% of healthy human subjects display anti-Acanthamoebaantibodies. However, the presence of specific anti-Acanthamoebaantibodies in the serum and tears of patients has not been investigated. The prevalence of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and tear IgA against three species of Acanthamoebawas assessed in healthy subjects and patients with Acanthamoebakeratitis. Methods The level of specific serum IgG and tear IgA against A. castellanii, A. astronyxis, and A. culbertsoniin the sera of 23 patients and 25 healthy subjects was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Total serum IgM, IgG, and IgA concentrations were measured by nephelometry. Acanthamoebakeratitis was diagnosed clinically and confirmed by in vivo confocal microscopy. In some patients, corneal biopsies were also performed and trophozoites were cultured on lawns of Escherichia colion non-nutrient agar. Results All healthy subjects and patients with Acanthamoebakeratitis had detectable serum IgG antibodies against all Acanthamoebaantigens. However, patients with Acanthamoebakeratitis had significantly higher anti-AcanthamoebaIgG antibody titers than healthy subjects. In contrast, Acanthamoeba-specific tear IgA was significantly lower in patients with Acanthamoebakeratitis in comparison with healthy subjects. Total serum immunoglobulins did not differ significantly between healthy subjects and patients with Acanthamoebakeratitis. Conclusions The results suggest that a low level of anti-AcanthamoebaIgA antibody in the tears appears to be associated with Acanthamoebakeratitis.

Tear IgA and serum IgG antibodies against Acanthamoeba in patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Pathogenic and free-living protozoa cultured from the nasopharyngeal and oral regions of dental patients

A survey of pathogenic and free-living amoebae inhabiting swimming pool water in Mexico City.

Magnacarina gen. nov. from Mexico is described. Hapalopus aldanus West, 2000 from Nayarit, is transferred to the new genus with an emended diagnosis creating the new combination Magnacarina aldana comb. nov. Three new species are described: Magnacarina moderata Locht, Mendoza & Medina sp. nov. from Nayarit and Sinaloa; Magnacarina primaverensis Mendoza & Locht sp. nov. and Magnacarina cancer Mendoza & Locht sp. nov., both from Jalisco. Magnacarina gen. nov. is characterized by an unusual bifid palpal bulb, and has a primary projection located in the central area of the palpal bulb and directed retrolaterally; this projection possesses the prolateral superior and retrolateral keels. Next to the primary projection is a secondary projection, which may be short or long, ending in the prolateral inferior and apical keel surrounding the sperm pore. This secondary projection may have prolateral accessory keels and is diagnosed by possessing a nodule of inwardly curled megaspines, located in the basal ventro-retrolateral region of metatarsi I in adult males. Additionally, male tibiae I possess three apophyses. Females of Magnacarina gen. nov. have a single reduced and strongly sclerotized spermatheca, with an apical lobe projecting ventrally, and with a uterus externus that is longer and wider than the spermatheca.

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A new genus of Theraphosid spider from Mexico, with a particular palpal bulb structure (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae)

Una nueva especie de tarántula del género Aphonopelma Pocock 1901 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae) de México con notas sobre el género Brachypelma Simon 1891

En el año 2000 se publicó la descripción un nuevo género de Theraphosidae. La especie tipo Bonnetina cyaneifemur Vol, 2000, presenta un parche de sedas urticantes tipo III en la parte dorsal del opistosoma, bulbos pedipalpales con un subtégulo largo y extendido y tarsos menos anchos que los metatarsos; características por las que fue situada dentro de la Subfamilia Theraphosinae. El autor colocó esta especie en un nuevo género por la combinación de las siguientes características: presentar tres apófisis apicales sobre la tibia I, la retrolateral es una protuberancia sobre la que se encuentran plantados tres dientes triangulares; un émbolo fino curvado con una quilla doble apical; una espermateca con un receptáculo único en forma de dedo en la hembra; el fémur de la pata III del macho ligeramente ensanchado; la pata IV mucho más larga que la pata I; y por tener escópulas tarsales no divididas en los adultos y divididas por sedas en la pata IV en los juveniles. Los fémures tienen una coloración azúl fuerte, por lo cual se le puso este nombre específico (Vol, 2000). Al año siguiente, el autor publicó la descripción de un macho de este mismo género, B. rudloffi (Vol, 2000), el cual presenta las mismas características del macho de B. cyaneifemur, pero con las siguientes diferencias: la escópula tarsal de la pata IV está dividida; apófisis retrolateral de la tibia I tiene cuatro espinas, dos cortas y en forma de triángulo y las otras dos son altas y delgadas; el metatarso tiene en la base sobre la cara retrolateral un nódulo constituido por gránulos negros aglutinados y muy numerosos; el fémur III ligeramente hinchado, pero mucho menos que en B. cyaneifemur; los fémures también presentan reflejos azulados pero menos llamativos que en la especie precedente; el émbolo es más macizo y tiene la quilla posterior finamente dentada; la pata IV es más larga que la I, pero en menor proporción que B. cyaneifemur. Las dos especies de este género se distribuyen en México en la Costa del Pacífico, en Colima y Jalisco B. cyaneifemur y en Michoacán B. rudloffi. A mediados de 2007, Rick West y el Dr. Alejandro Alagón donaron cuatro tarántulas hembras y un macho, todas de pequeño tamaño y colectadas en México, en Tepoztlan, Morelos, con el fin de identificarlas. Al revisarlas se encontraron todas las caracterísitcas diagnósticas del género Bonnetina y se pudo determinar que son una nueva especie por las diferencias en los caracteres sexuales tanto del macho como de la hembra. En este trabajo se presenta la descripción de estas características morfológicas con ayuda de 2 tablas y 8 figuras (4 ilustraciones de las características morfológicas más relevantes y 4 fotos a color de los especímenes y del hábitat donde fueron colectados).

Francisco Medina

Papers

A survey of pathogenic and free-living amoebae inhabiting swimming pool water in Mexico City.

A new genus of Theraphosid spider from Mexico, with a particular palpal bulb structure (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae)

Una nueva especie de tarántula del género Aphonopelma Pocock 1901 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae) de México con notas sobre el género Brachypelma Simon 1891

Una nueva especia de tarántula del género "Bonnetina" Vol 2000 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae), de México