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Mirabedini Z, Niyyati M, Mohammad Rahimi H, Soleimani Jevinani S, Fatemi M, Tanhaei M, Mohebbi SR, Yadegar A, Abolghasemi S, Arab Mazar Z, Mirjalali H. The presence of yeasts and bacteria in free-living amoebae isolated from COVID-19 patients: concern for secondary infections. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024:1-14. [PMID: 39428626 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2024.2409830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 09/23/2024] [Indexed: 10/22/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2, yeasts, and bacteria in isolated free-living amoeba (FLA) from COVID-19 patients. Nasopharyngeal swabs (n = 60) were obtained from COVID-19 patients. After cultivation, morphological characterization, and RNA/DNA extraction, the presence of selected microorganisms was investigated. From 60 COVID-19 samples, 18 (30%) were positive for FLA. Acanthamoeba sp. Naegleria australiensis, Tetramitus sp. and Vermamoeba vermiformis were characterized in 12 (80%), 1 (6.66%), 2 (13.33%), and 7 (38.88%) of samples, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in FLA. Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis were detected in (11/18; 61.11%), (3/18; 16.67%), and (3/18; 16.67%) of samples, respectively. Geotrichum candidum was detected in 10/18 (55.55%) of samples. Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. were identified in 16/18 (88.88%) and 3/18 (16.67%), respectively. The presence of yeasts and bacteria signifies the possible role of FLA in distribution of secondary infections in susceptible patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Mirabedini
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Niyyati
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hanieh Mohammad Rahimi
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Soleimani Jevinani
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Marziye Fatemi
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Tanhaei
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Reza Mohebbi
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Yadegar
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Abolghasemi
- Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Arab Mazar
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamed Mirjalali
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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