Improved Acanthamoeba Culture Method Using TYM Medium

Background and Acanthamoeba species are ubiquitous amphizoic organisms which can cause lethal diseases, such as keratitis and encephalitis in domestic animals and humans. The first stage in studies related to Acanthamoeba is achieving abundant amount of amoebae in culture medium. The aim of this study was to evaluate TYM medium as a rich medium for the diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis in corneal scrapes.
In this experimental study, we used one species of Acanthamoeba that was previously genotyped. Acanthamoeba was cultured in five plates of non-nutrient agar (NNA) medium with E.coli without TYM and in five plates of non-nutrient agar containing E.coli and TYM. Amoebae growth was observed for 24 to 48 hours by invert microscope.
According to current results using TYM medium increased the growth of trophozoites 8.8 folds and amoebas can be isolated form medium after 24 to 48 hours.
Due to the significant growth of Acanthamoeba in NNA improved medium, it is recommended for agglutination and early detection of Acanthamoeba in clinical and environmental samples.