Meeting Abstract

55.1  Saturday, Jan. 5  Acanthamoeba (Gymnamoebae:Acanthamoebidae) Distribution in the Chester River of the Eastern Shore of Maryland BELL, C.L.; MUNSON, D.A.*; Washington College; Washington College dmunson2@washcoll.edu

The large diversity of amoebae species in soils and sewage sludge reported by Singh and Hanumaih (Monograph No. 1 of the Association of Microbiologists of India, Indian Journal of Microbiology, 1979) was found to serve as a useful indicator of soil erosion and sewage pollution in soils and aquatic sediments. Acanthamoeba is a ubiquitous soil amoeba that is often associated with sewage pollution. Certain species of the genus are causative agents of human disease (GAE and keratitis). The Chester River is a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay on Maryland�s eastern shore. The river, although not highly polluted is somewhat adversely impacted by two factors, sewage pollution and nutrient runoff from agricultural lands. Sediments from 11 sites along the river were collected and cultured for the presence of Acanthamoeba. All sites yielded amoebae, and most harbored potentially pathogenic, temperature tolerant (39�C) species. The most commonly isolated species were A. polyphaga, A. rhysodes, A. hatchetti and several other unidentified isolates that belonged to either Group II or Group III of the genus.