{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:38:27Z","timestamp":1760146707829,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,28]],"date-time":"2024-11-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1732752000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Microorganisms"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Diseases in humans caused by amphizoic amoebae that can result in visual impairment and even blindness, have recently been identified more frequently worldwide. Etiologically complex incidents of keratitis, including those connected with Acanthamoeba strains detected in Poland, were evaluated in this study. Methods: Corneal samples from cases resistant to antimicrobial therapy assessed for epidemiological, microbiological and parasitological aspects were investigated by phase-contrast microscope, slit lamp and by confocal microscopy. In vitro techniques were applied for detection of bacteria and fungi, and corneal isolates cultured under axenic condition using BSC medium\u2014for detection of Acanthamoeba spp.; molecular techniques were applied for amoeba species identification. Results: Most etiologically complicated keratitis cases, detected in ~84% of incidents, was due to exposure of contact lenses to tap water or pool water; trophozoites and cysts of Acanthamoeba, concomitant bacteriae, e.g., Pseudomonas\u00a0aeruginosa, fungi and microfilariae were identified in contact lens users. Conclusions: In samples from contact lens wearers where microbial keratitis is identified along with some connection with the patient\u2019s exposure to contaminated water environments, a risk of Acanthamoeba spp. infections should be considered. Understanding the complicated relationship between Acanthamoeba spp., co-occurring pathogens including associated endosymbionts is needed. In vivo confocal microscopy and in vitro cultivation were necessary to identify potentially contagious concomitant factors affecting the complex course of the keratitis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms12122445","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,28]],"date-time":"2024-11-28T03:21:23Z","timestamp":1732764083000},"page":"2445","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Concomitant Potentially Contagious Factors Detected in Poland and Regarding Acanthamoeba Strains, Etiological Agents of Keratitis in Humans"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6817-6892","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lidia","family":"Chomicz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Biology, Medical University of Warsaw, 00-575 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9100-0847","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jacek P.","family":"Szaflik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Independent Public Clinical Ophthalmology Hospital, Medical University of Warsaw, 00-576 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9876-0459","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Agnieszka","family":"Kuligowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Ophthalmology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0198-0234","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David Bruce","family":"Conn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA"},{"name":"One Health Center, Berry College, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Mount Berry, GA 30149, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8034-2550","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Wanda","family":"Baltaza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2738-3753","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Beata","family":"Szostakowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Tropical Parasitology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7202-1044","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pawe\u0142 J.","family":"Zawadzki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery and Implantology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-005 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8890-567X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Monika","family":"Dybicz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-004 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1190-717X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna","family":"Machali\u0144ska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Ophthalmology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6188-9670","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Konrad","family":"Perkowski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthodontics, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6199-8458","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna","family":"Bajer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Warsaw, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7601-1326","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jerzy","family":"Szaflik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laser Eye Microsurgery Centre Clinic of Prof. Jerzy Szaflik, 00-215 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.3109\/10408419409114556","article-title":"Ecology of free-living amoebae","volume":"20","year":"1994","journal-title":"Crit. 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