Extensive environmental survey of free-living amoebae and their elusive association with Mycobacterium bovis or Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis.

ABSTRACT: Free-living amoebae (FLA) are described as environmental reservoirs for some bacteria able to resist their phagocytosis. In the environment, the fate of Mycobacterium bovis (Mbo) and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) responsible for bovine tuberculosis and paratuberculosis, respectively, remains poorly understood and is considered potentially problematic in the eradication and control of these diseases. We hypothesize that FLA may play a role in the persistence of Mbo and Map in the environment. In this study, 90 samples were collected from herds affected by one or both diseases to investigate the diversity of amoeba and their associated bacteria. Metabarcoding analyses revealed that Acanthamoeba, Copromyxa, Naegleria, and Vermamoeba were the most represented genera of FLA,

SUBMITTER: Jessu A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11707876 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature