VISUALIZATION ON THE EFFECT OF CHLORHEXIDINE GLUCONATE, A BIOCIDE ON ACANTHAMOEBA SP BY ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
H. Fatimah* and M.A Nakisah
Abstract
VISUALIZATION ON THE EFFECT OF CHLORHEXIDINE GLUCONATE, A BIOCIDE ON ACANTHAMOEBA SP BY ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
- Fatimah and M.A Nakisah
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu Darul Iman.
ABSTRACT
Acanthamoeba, an amoeba genus belonging to free-living amoebae has been reported to cause eye keratitis in man both in contact lens and non-contact lens users. For treatment of this disease, chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) is effective especially at early stage of infection. In this study, this biocide was exposed on Acanthamoeba for 72 h to examine its effect on the cell morphology by scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). By SEM, control Acanthamoeba cells showed numerous acanthapodia structure on their surface. These structures however, were significantly reduced in CHX-treated Acanthamoeba. By TEM, the amoeba nucleus and nucleolus were intact and prominent, while the cristae of mitochondria structure and endoplasmic reticulum are distinctive in untreated Acanthamoeba compared to CHX-treated Acanthamoeba. In the later amoeba, degradation of nucleolar structure, abnormal shape of mitochondria and fragmentation of endoplasmic reticulum were observed. Under SEM and TEM, ultrastructural changes occurred in Acanthamoeba cells after exposure to CHX can be visualized in details.
Keywords: Acanthamoeba sp., chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX), scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy.
