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ARTICLES

Vol. 15 No. 2 (2026): Rev. Arg. Parasitol.

Amoebistatic activity of two hospital-use disinfectants against Acanthamoeba spp. strains of different origins

Submitted
June 12, 2026
Published
2026-10-24

Abstract

Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living amoebae widely distributed in the environment and capable of persisting in hospital settings due to the resistance of their cysts to adverse conditions. The effectiveness of disinfectants routinely used for their control remains under investigation because of the variability observed among strains and compounds. To evaluate the amoebistatic activity of chlorine solutions and dodecyldimethylammonium chloride against three Acanthamoeba spp. strains of different origins; a reference strain (ATCC 30461, Acanthamoeba polyphaga), a hospital isolate recovered from a healthcare facility, and an environmental isolate obtained from a continental wetland were used. Different concentrations of chlorine (24, 36, 48, and 60 ppm) and 1.6% dodecyldimethylammonium chloride were evaluated. After different exposure times, cysts were inoculated onto non-nutrient agar plates seeded with Escherichia coli, and the presence or absence of amoebic growth was recorded. All assays were performed in triplicate. Chlorine solutions showed limited activity against the three strains evaluated, requiring high concentrations and prolonged exposure times to inhibit growth. In contrast, dodecyldimethylammonium chloride exhibited greater amoebistatic activity, achieving growth inhibition in all strains analysed. The hospital strain was the most susceptible to both disinfectants. Amoebistatic activity was inferred from absence of growth in culture, without specific cyst viability assays. The results demonstrate a differential response of Acanthamoeba spp. strains to the disinfectants evaluated and suggest greater amoebistatic activity of dodecyldimethylammonium chloride compared with chlorine solutions. These findings provide relevant information for the environmental control of Acanthamoeba spp. in healthcare settings and highlight the importance of considering variability among isolates of different origins.

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