Nuevas técnicas de detección de AcanthamoebaEstudio de la eficacia de desinfección de las lentes de contacto

Abstract

Acanthamoeba spp. are free living protozoa widely distributed in the environment. Under favourable ocular conditions, it can behave as a parasite causing Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), considered as one of the most serious ocular pathologies. Acanthamoeba keratitis is an ocular infection characterized by pain, photophobia, epithelial damage, and edema and may lead to irreversible loss of vision if not properly treated. In developed countries, it is estimated that 85% of AK cases occur in contact lens wearers. Poor hygiene practices, the exposure to water wearing the contact lens, ineffective contact lens disinfection solutions as well as the use of tapwater to clean them increases the risk of infection. Cleaning and disinfection of contact lenses is essential to prevent corneal related infections. For this reason, numerous studies have attempted to assess their effectiveness against Acanthamoeba. The lack of a standard approach to assess the disinfection commercial products efficacy against Acanthamoeba, makes difficult to obtain accurate conclusions...