Etymologia: Acanthamoeba (original) (raw)
Etymologia: Acanthamoeba
Author affiliation: Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
Acanthamoeba [ǝˌ́́́́kæn.Өǝʹmi.bǝ]
From the Greek akantha (spike/thorn), which was added before amoeba (change) to describe this organism as having a spine-like structure (acanthopodia). This organism is now well-known as Acanthamoeba, an amphizoic, opportunistic, and nonopportunistic protozoan protist widely distributed in the environment.
Figure
Figure. This scanning electron microscopic image shows an Acanthamoeba polyphaga protozoa about to complete the process of cell division known as mitosis, thereby becoming 2 distinct organisms. Note the numerous pseudopodia projecting...
In 1930, it was reported by Castellani in yeast (Cryptococcus pararoseus) culture, and was later (1931) classified as the genus Acanthamoeba by Volkonsky. It was later found to be the etiologic agent of Acanthamoeba granulomatous encephalitis and keratitis in humans. This organism can also cause cutaneous acanthamebiasis in debilitated and immunocompromised patients (Figure).
References
- Castellani A. An amoeba found in culture of yeast: preliminary note. J Trop Med Hyg. 1930;33:160.
- De Jonckheere JF. Ecology of Acanthamoeba. Rev Infect Dis. 1991;13(Suppl 5):S385–7. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
- Khan NA. Acanthamoeba: biology and increasing importance in human health. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 2003;16:273–307.PubMedGoogle Scholar
Figure
DOI: 10.3201/eid2608.et2608
Original Publication Date: June 25, 2020
Table of Contents – Volume 26, Number 8—August 2020
Page created: June 25, 2020
Page updated: July 18, 2020
Page reviewed: July 18, 2020
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Etymologia: Acanthamoeba
Volume 26, Number 8—August 2020
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