Identification of Candida albicans and non-MRSA Staphylococcus aureus in free-living amoebae isolated from the hospital wards; an alarm for distribution of nosocomial infections via FLA

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are isolated from the hospital environments and known as Trojan horses for medical essential microorganisms. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and the presence of FLA and two critical agents of nosocomial infections, in the hospital wards. Sixty samples were collected from four communities and cultured onto non-nutrient agar (NNA). After total DNA extraction, FLA were characterized using PCR and sequencing. The presence of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated using real-time and conventional PCR, respectively. Acanthamoeba sp. was characterized in 30 (50%) samples. Two (6.6%) and one (3.3%) samples were positive for Vahlkampfiidae and Vermamoeba vermiformis, respectively . S. aureus was detected in 13 (43.3%) of samples, while none of them were positive for methicillin-resistant gene. C. albicans DNA was detected in one (3.3%) FLA-positive sample. The isolation of FLA from hospital suggests an essential role these eukaryotes in the inter-ward circulation of nosocomial infections.