Laboratório de Vírus, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Arch Virol. 2014 May;159(5):1039-43. doi: 10.1007/s00705-013-1924-z. Epub 2013 Nov 26.
Amoebas of the genus Acanthamoeba are protists that are associated with human disease and represent a public health concern. They can harbor pathogenic microorganisms, acting as a platform for pathogen replication. Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus (APMV), the type species of the genus Mimivirus, family Mimiviridae, represents the largest group of amoeba-associated viruses that has been described to date. Recent studies have demonstrated that APMV and other giant viruses may cause pneumonia. Amoebas can survive in most environments and tolerate various adverse conditions, including UV light irradiation, high concentrations of disinfectants, and a broad range of temperatures. However, it is unknown how the amoebal intracellular environment influences APMV stability and resistance to adverse conditions. Therefore, in this work, we evaluated the stability of APMV, either purified or carried by the amoeba host, under extreme conditions, including UV irradiation, heat and exposure to six different chemical biocides. After each treatment, the virus was titrated in amoebas using the TCID50 method. APMV was more stable in all resistance tests performed when located inside its host. Our results demonstrate that Acanthamoeba acts as a natural bunker for APMV, increasing viral resistance to extreme physical and chemical conditions. The data raise new questions regarding the survival of APMV in nature and in hospital environments.
棘阿米巴属的变形虫是与人类疾病有关的原生动物，是公共卫生关注的焦点。它们可以携带病原微生物，成为病原体复制的平台。多噬棘阿米巴原虫 mimivirus（APMV）是 mimiviridae 科 mimivirus 属的模式种，代表了迄今为止描述的最大一组与变形虫相关的病毒。最近的研究表明，APMV 和其他巨型病毒可能导致肺炎。变形虫可以在大多数环境中生存，并能耐受各种不利条件，包括紫外线照射、高浓度消毒剂和广泛的温度范围。然而，目前尚不清楚变形虫细胞内环境如何影响 APMV 的稳定性和对不利条件的抵抗力。因此，在这项工作中，我们评估了在极端条件下（包括紫外线照射、高温和暴露于六种不同的化学杀菌剂）纯化的或由变形虫宿主携带的 APMV 的稳定性。在每种处理后，使用 TCID50 法在变形虫中滴定病毒。当 APMV 位于其宿主内部时，在所有抗性测试中都更稳定。我们的结果表明，棘阿米巴作为 APMV 的天然掩体，增加了病毒对极端物理和化学条件的抗性。这些数据提出了有关 APMV 在自然界和医院环境中存活的新问题。
