The opportunistic protist Acanthamoeba, which interacts with other microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses, shows significant similarity in cellular and functional aspects to human macrophages. Intracellular survival of microbes in this microbivorous amoebal host may be a crucial step for initiation of infection in higher eukaryotic cells. Therefore, Acanthamoeba-microbe adaptations are considered an evolutionary model of macrophage-pathogen interactions. This paper reviews Acanthamoeba as an emerging human pathogen and different ecological interactions between Acanthamoeba and microbes that may serve as environmental training grounds and a genetic melting pot for the evolution, persistence, and transmission of potential human pathogens.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2022.08.007DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

human pathogens
8
acanthamoeba
4
acanthamoeba environmental
4
environmental phagocyte
4
phagocyte enhancing
4
enhancing survival
4
survival transmission
4
human
4
transmission human
4
pathogens opportunistic
4

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!