Abstract

Acanthamoeba is one kind of free-living amoebae (FLA) which ubiquitous in various aquatic environments. Several <em>Acanthamoeba</em> species are pathogenic and host other pathogens such as Legionella, but the presence of <em>Acanthamoeba</em> and its parasites as well as the related infection risk are not well known. In this study, the surveillance and evaluation of the infection risk of <em>Acanthamoeba</em> in different aquatic environments was investigated. Water samples were collected from a river, intake areas of drinking water treatment plants, and recreational hot spring complexes in Taiwan. A total of 140 water samples were tested for the presence of <em>Acanthamoeba</em> spp.. In addition, phylogenetic characteristics and water quality parameters were also assessed. The pathogenic genotypes of <em>Acanthamoeba</em> T4 were abundant in the hot spring water. Taken together, <em>Acanthamoeba</em> contamination in recreational hot springs and drinking water source warrants more attention on potential legionellosis and amoebae infections.