Efficacy of physical and chemical disinfection against clinically relevant free-living amoebae isolated from drinking water and plumbing biofilms.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are commonly found in drinking water systems and biofilms, posing public health risks both as pathogens and as hosts for opportunistic bacteria such as Legionella spp. and Mycobacterium spp. Current water management practices are often insufficient to control biofilm-associated FLA and their intracellular pathogens.

Methods

This study evaluated the efficacy of multiple disinfectants-thermal disinfection (70 °C), hydrogen peroxide, 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, benzalkonium chloride (BAC), sodium hypochlorite, and chlorine dioxide-against planktonic trophozoites and cysts of five FLA strains: Acanthamoeba DB1, Allovahlkampfia DS1, Stenamoeba DS1, Vermamoeba vermiformis HB7, and Acanthamoeba polyphaga ATCC^® 30461^™.

SUBMITTER: Nisar MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12698374 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature