Main Content

The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 299

Fermin Rivera, Matilde Galvan, Esperanza Robles, Pilar Leal, Leticia Gonzalez, and Ana Maria Lacy; Bottled Mineral Waters Polluted by Protozoa in Mexico. J.Protozool. 28(1):54-56, 1981

Reprint

In File

Notes

A survey of protozoa polluting bottled mineral water in Mexico was carried out using samples obtained from the three best-selling brands of bottled mineral water in the country. The organisms were concentrated through filtration procedures and subsequently cultured in sterile media. The cultures were observed over four weeks, with identification to the level of genus and species. Most commonly found were the amoebae Naegleria gruberi, Acanthamoeba astronyxis, and Vahlkampfia vahlkampfi (trophic as well as cystic stages) plus one flagellate, Bodomorpha minima. No ciliates were detected. The public health importance of the findings is obvious, since some strains of Naegleria and Acanthamoeba have the potential to cause human disease that may lead to death.