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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 7593

Johan F. De Jonckheere; Naegleria australiensis sp. nov., Another Pathogenic Naegleria from Water. Protistologica XVII(3):423-429, 1981

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Naegleria australiensis sp. nov., a new species of free-living amoeba, pathogenic for mice is described. The identification of this strain, PP 397, originally isolated in Australia, and the establishment of a new species for it were based on morphological, physiological, serological and biochemical studies. The structure of the trophozoite, flagellate and cyst did not differ significantly from other species of Naegleria. While strain PP 397 is pathgenic for mice, its virulence is much lower than that of N. fowleri, the other known pathogenic Naegleria. Studies by immunofluorescence using antisera against N. fowleri, N. lovaniensis and N. gruberi revealed the antigenic uniqueness of strain PP 397. Isoenzyme patterns of acid phosphatase and leucine amino peptidase obtained by isoelectronic focusing of amoebic extracts showed to be a potent tool in differentiating this new pathogenic species from pathogenic N. fowleri.