Abstract
Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a severe corneal disease that was reported by WHO as the second most common infectious cause of blindness after trachoma; contact lens wear is considered one of the main risk factors in its transmission. Thus, the treatment of AK is crucial but, the inability of medical agents to completely eradicate the resistant cyst, together with their toxic effects, suggest that new agents are needed. Vinegar has been known long ago as a simple and available disinfectant with antimicrobial effects, so the present study aimed to test the effect of different concentrations of vinegar solution on Acanthamoeba astronyxis isolate, along the period of 1 h in comparison to parasite and chlorhexidine controls. Post hoc test analysis revealed a highly significant difference between the vinegar-treated parasites and both controls, as regards the viable and non-viable mean cysts count. Vinegar concentration of 5% exhibited the highest mean of non-viable cysts along the time intervals, while the lowest was shown with 0.04% where also, no viable cysts were detected at 60 min. All tested concentrations behaved in a time-dependent manner. There was a positive correlation with a significant outcome between the different concentrations and the mean of the non-viable parasites along time. Transmission electron microscopy of treated cysts revealed corrugated altered cell wall with loss of ridges and detachment and shrinkage of content. Treated trophozoites showed flattening of the acanthopodia with thinned out plasma membrane and degenerated cytoplasmic content. The study highlighted the potential use of vinegar as an adjuvant in the prevention and treatment of AK.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aminifarshidmehr N (1996) The management of chronic suppurative otitis media with acid media solution. Am J Otol 17(1):24–25
Behera HS, Satpathy G (2017) Identification of Acanthamoeba sp. with different microscopes and analysis of the anatomical changes from trophozoite to cyst form with an electron microscope. EC Microbiology 8(4):203–210
Beyhan YE, Yilmaz H, Hokelek M (2016) Effects of acetic acid on the viability of Ascaris lumbricoides eggs. Is vinegar reliable enough to clean the vegetables? Saudi Med J 37(3):288–292
Chang JM, Fang TJ (2007) Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium in iceberg lettuce and the antimicrobial effect of rice vinegar against E. coli O157:H7. Food Microbiol 24(7–8):745–751
Chomicz L, Justyna E, Piekarczyk J, Starooeciak B, Myjak P, Walski M, Kazimierczuk Z (2005) In vitro studies on susceptibility of Acanthamoeba castellanii to selected chemical agents. Acta Parasitol 50(1):25–31
Costa AO, Thomaz-Soccol V, Paulino RC, Alcantara de Castro E (2009) Effect of vinegar on the viability of Giardia duodenalis cysts. Int J Food Microbiol 128(3):510–512
De Jonckheere JF (1991) Ecology of Acanthamoeba. Clin Infect Dis 13:S385–S387. https://doi.org/10.1093/clind/13.Supplement_5.S38
Debnath A, Tunac JB, Galindo-Gómez S, Silva-Olivares A, Shibayama M, McKerrow JH (2012) Corifungin, a new drug lead against Naegleria, identified from a high-throughput screen. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 56(11):5450–5457
Gooi P, Lee-Wing M, Brownstein S, El-Defrawy S, Jackson WB, Mintsioulis G (2008) Acanthamoeba keratitis: persistent organisms without inflammation after 1 year of topical chlorhexidine. Cornea 27(2):246–248
Greub G, Raoult D (2003) Biocides currently used for bronchoscope decontamination are poorly effective against free-living amoebae. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 24:784–786
Hashim F, Amin NM (2013) Visualization on the effect of chlorhexidine gluconate, a biocide on Acanthamoeba sp by electron microscopy. Malays J Microscop 9:154–159
Hiti K, Walochnik J, Haller-Schober EM, Faschinger C, Aspöck H (2002) Viability of Acanthamoeba after exposure to a multipurpose disinfecting contact lens solution and two hydrogen peroxide systems. Br J Ophthalmol 86:144–146
Hughes R, Kilvington S (2001) Comparison of Hydrogen Peroxide contact lens disinfection systems and solutions against Acanthamoeba polyphaga. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 45(7):2038–2043. https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.45.7.2038-2043
Hughes R, Andrew PW, Kilvington S (2003) Enhanced killing of Acanthamoeba cysts with a plant peroxidase-hydrogen peroxide-halide antimicrobial system. Appl Environ Microbiol 69(5):2563–2567. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.69.5.2563-2567.2003
Init I, Lau YL, Arin FA, Foead AI, Neilson RS, Nissapatorn V (2010) Detection of free living amoebae, Acanthamoeba and Naegleria in swimming pools, Malaysia. Trop Biomed 27:566–577
Jung H, Cho S, Yoo C, Lim H, Chae S (2002) Vinegar treatment in the management of granular myringitis. J Laryngol Otol 116(3):176–180. https://doi.org/10.1258/0022215021910474
Khan NA (2006) Acanthamoeba: biology and increasing importance in human health. FEMS Microbiol Rev 30:564–595
Khunkitti W, Hann AC, Lloyd D, Furr JR, Russell AD (1998) Biguanide-induced changes in Acanthamoeba castellanii: an electron microscopic study. J Appl Microbiol 84:53–62
Lee J, Oum BS, Choi HY, Yu HS, Lee JS (2007) Cysticidal effect on Acanthamoeba and toxicity on human keratocytes by polyhexamethylene biguanide and chlorhexidine. Cornea 26(6):736–741. https://doi.org/10.1097/ICO.0b013e31805b7e8e
Lehmann DM, Cavet ME, Richardson ME (2010) Nonclinical safety evaluation of boric acid and a novel borate-buffered contact lens multi-purpose solution, Biotrue™ multi-purpose solution. Cont Lens Anterior Eye 33(Suppl 1):S24–S32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2010.06.010
Lorenzo-Morales J, Khan NA, Walochnik J (2015) An update on Acanthamoeba keratitis: diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment. Parasite 22:10
Ludwig IH, Meisler DM, Rutherford I, Bican FE, Langston RH, Visvesvara GS (1986) Susceptibility of Acanthamoeba to soft contact lens disinfection systems. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 27:626–628
Martin-Gonzalez A, Dias S, Borniquel S, Gallego A, Gutierrez JC (2006) Cytotoxicity and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by ciliated protozoa isolated from urban wastewater treatment plants. Res Microbiol 157:108–118
Martin-Navarro CM, Lorenzo-Morales JM, Cabrera-Serra G, Rancel F, Coronado-Álvarez NM, Piñero JE, Valladares B (2008) The potential pathogenicity of chlorhexidine sensitive Acanthamoeba strains isolated from contact lens cases from asymptomatic individuals in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. J Med Microbiol 57:1399–1404. https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.2008/003459-0
Niyyati M, Lorenzo-Morales J, Rezaie S, Rahimi F, Mohebali M, Maghsood AH, Motevalli-Haghi A, Martín-Navarro C, Farnia S, Valladares B, Rezaeian M (2009) Genotyping of Acanthamoeba isolates from clinical and environmental specimens in Iran. Exp Parasitol 121(3):242–245
Ortilles A, Belloc J, Rubio E, Fernandez MT, Benito M, Cristobal JA, Calvo B, Goni P (2017) In vitro development of an effective treatment for Acanthamoeba keratitis. Int J Antimicrob Agents 50:325–333
Padzik M, Baltaza W, Szaflik JP, Hendiger E, Dybicz M, Chomicz L (2018) Comparison of chlorhexidine disinfectant in vitro effect on environmental and ocular Acanthamoeba strains, the amoebic agents of human keratitis—an emerging sight-threatening corneal disease in Poland. Ann Parasitol 64(3):229–233. https://doi.org/10.17420/ap6403.157
Perrine D, Chenu JP, Georges P, Lancelot JC, Saturnino C, Robba M (1995) Amoebicidal efficiencies of various diamidines against two strains of Acanthamoeba polyphaga. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 39(2):339–342
Polat ZA, Vural A, Ozan F, Tepe B, Özcelik S, Cetin A (2008) In vitro evaluation of the amoebicidal activity of garlic (Allium sativum) extract on Acanthamoeba castellanii and its cytotoxic potential on corneal cells. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther 24(1):8–14
Rivera F, Galván M, Robles E, Leal P, González L, Lacy AM (1981) Bottled mineral waters polluted by protozoa in Mexico. J Protozool 28(1):54–56
Rund CR (1996) Non-conventional topical therapy for wound care. Ostomy Wound Manag 42(5):18–20, 22–24, 26
Sadjjadi SM, Rostami J, Azadbakht M (2006) Giardiacidal activity of lemon juice, vinifer and vinegar on Giardia intestinalis cysts. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 37(3):24–27
Sarhan RM, Ezz Eldin HM, Hetta MH (2017) Investigation of amoebicidal potential of Arachis hypogaea l. pericarp on cysts of Acanthamoeba astronyxis T7 genotype. JESP 47(1):113–121
Sawyer TK (1989) Free-living pathogenic and nonpathogenic amoebae in Maryland soils. Appl Environ Microbiol 55(5):1074–1077
Schroeder JM, Booton GC, Hay J, Niszl IA, Seal DV, Markus MB, Fuerst PA, Byers TJ (2001) Use of subgenic 18S ribosomal DNA PCR and sequencing for genus and genotype identification of Acanthamoebae from humans with keratitis and from sewage sludge. J Clin Microbiol 39:1903–1911. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.39.5.1903-1911.2001
Sengun YI, Karapinar M (2005) Effectiveness of household natural sanitizers in the elimination of Salmonella typhimurium on rocket (Eruca sativa Miller) and spring onion (Allium cepa L.). Int J Food Microbiol 98(3):319–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2004.07.011
Shamanna K, Ganga VB (2018) Changing trends in the management of malignant otitis externa: our experience. JARO 7(1):9–14. https://doi.org/10.5923/j.otolaryn.20180701.03
Sharief AH, Khalil EA, Omer SA, Abdalla HS (2008) Innovative serum-free medium for in vitro cultivation of promastigote forms of Leishmania species. Parasitol Int 57:138–142
Siddiqui R, Khan NA (2012) Biology and pathogenesis of Acanthamoeba. Parasit Vectors 5:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-3305-5-6
Smirnov AV, Goodkov AV (2004) Ultrastructure and geographic distribution of the genus Paradermamoeba (Gymnamoebia, Thecamoebidae). Eur J Protistol 40:113–118
Szenasi Z, Endo T, Yagita K, Nagy E (1998) Isolation, identification and increasing importance of free-living amoebae, causing human disease. J Med Microbiol 47:45–54
Thomas V (2013) Sensitivity and resistance of protozoa to biocides. In: Fraise A, Mailard V, Sattar S (eds) Russell, Hugo and Ayliff's principals and practice of disinfection, preservation and sterilization. Wiley, New York, pp 155–177
Vastine DW, Dawson CR, Daghfous T, Messadi M, Hoshiwara I, Yoneda C, Nataf R (1974) Effect of topical chemotherapy on conjunctivitis and ocular bacteria. Br J Ophthalmol 58:833–842
Yildiz I, Yilmaz O, Tileklioglu E, Sakarya S, Ertabaklar H (2018) Stabilised hypochlorous acid: a new therapeutic strategy against dangerous parasitic eye infection agent Acanthamoeba sp. J Environ Prot Ecol 19(3):1397–1404
Zanetti S, Fiori PL, Pinna A, Usai S, Carta F, Fadda G (1995) Susceptibility of Acanthamoeba castellanii to contact lens disinfecting solutions. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 39:1596–1598
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
All authors participated in the Acanthamoeba culture and re-culture after drug application. Dr. Amira Elsaady was responsible for the sample collection, Dr. Rania Sarhan visualized the Acanthamoeba over the electron microscopy and Dr. Hayam Ezz Eldin performed the statistical analysis of the study.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Informed consent
Informed consent was taken from patients; the study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt under Registration Number FWA 00006444.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ezz Eldin, H.M., Sarhan, R.M. & Khayyal, A.E. The impact of vinegar on pathogenic Acanthamoeba astronyxis isolate. J Parasit Dis 43, 351–359 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-019-01098-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-019-01098-3