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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2009, p. 2040-2045, Vol. 47, No. 7
0095-1137/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.00575-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Resistance of Acanthamoeba Cysts to Disinfection in Multiple Contact Lens Solutions{triangledown}

Stephanie P. Johnston,1* Rama Sriram,1 Yvonne Qvarnstrom,1 Sharon Roy,1 Jennifer Verani,1 Jonathan Yoder,1 Suchita Lorick,2,3 Jacquelin Roberts,1 Michael J. Beach,1 and Govinda Visvesvara1

Division of Parasitic Diseases,1 Division of Immunization Services,2 Epidemic Intelligence Service Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia3

Received 20 March 2009/ Accepted 20 April 2009

Acanthamoebae are free-living amoebae found in the environment, including soil, freshwater, brackish water, seawater, hot tubs, and Jacuzzis. Acanthamoeba species can cause keratitis, a painful vision-threatening infection of the cornea, and fatal granulomatous encephalitis in humans. More than 20 species of Acanthamoeba belonging to morphological groups I, II, and III distributed in 15 genotypes have been described. Among these, Acanthamoeba castellanii, A. polyphaga, and A. hatchetti are frequently identified as causing Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). Improper contact lens care and contact with nonsterile water while wearing contact lenses are known risk factors for AK. During a recent multistate outbreak, AK was found to be associated with the use of Advanced Medical Optics Complete MoisturePlus multipurpose contact lens solution, which was hypothesized to have had insufficient anti-Acanthamoeba activity. As part of the investigation of that outbreak, we compared the efficacies of 11 different contact lens solutions against cysts of A. castellanii, A. polyphaga, and A. hatchetti (the isolates of all species were genotype T4), which were isolated in 2007 from specimens obtained during the outbreak investigation. The data, generated with A. castellanii, A. polyphaga, and A. hatchetti cysts, suggest that the two contact lens solutions containing hydrogen peroxide were the only solutions that showed any disinfection ability, with 0% and 66% growth, respectively, being detected with A. castellanii and 0% and 33% growth, respectively, being detected with A. polyphaga. There was no statistically significant difference in disinfection efficacy between the 11 solutions for A. hatchetti.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-36, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724. Phone: (770) 488-7044. Fax: (770) 488-3115. E-mail: sjohnston{at}cdc.gov

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 29 April 2009.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2009, p. 2040-2045, Vol. 47, No. 7
0095-1137/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.00575-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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