One Health Perspectives on Pathogenic Amoebae: Infections and Environmental Detection

Dear Colleagues,

Pathogenic, free-living amoebae such as Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria fowleri, Balamuthia mandrillaris, and Vermamoeba vermiformis, as well as other emerging taxa, deserve renewed attention within the One Health framework, where human, animal, and environmental health overlap. Infections are uncommon, yet when these organisms invade the central nervous system, the eyes, the skin, or other organs, outcomes can be severe, including high mortality, slow or missed diagnoses, and few reliably effective treatments. Their persistent presence in soil, dust, natural and recreational waters, engineered and household water systems, biofilms and built environments highlights their status as overlooked environmental threats that call for coordinated, evidence-driven surveillance and control.

This Special Issue, “One Health Perspectives on Pathogenic Amoebae: Infections and Environmental Detection”, invites original research, reviews, short communications and case reports that bridge clinical, veterinary, environmental and public health viewpoints. We are particularly interested in studies on epidemiology, clinical presentation, host–pathogen and host–microbiome interactions, and quantitative risk assessment across recreational, domestic, industrial and agricultural settings.

Contributions that utilize molecular typing and omics approaches, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and metagenomics, together with advanced bioinformatics, are encouraged for species identification, virulence and resistance profiling, outbreak investigation, and population-structure or evolutionary analyses. Submissions describing innovative diagnostic workflows, point-of-care assays, practical environmental monitoring tools, surveillance strategies and evaluations of disinfection or water-treatment interventions will be especially welcome.

We also seek opportunities in research on amoeba-associated microorganisms, polymicrobial interactions, and co-infections, as well as studies on drug discovery, repurposing, anti-amoebic screening platforms, and experimental in vitro or in vivo models. By gathering diverse perspectives from different regions and health systems, this Special Issue aims to build a stronger evidence base for earlier detection, prevention and better management of pathogenic amoebae, and to support research that informs practical policies and reduces the global impact of these underrecognized infections.

Dr. Libia Zulema Rodriguez Anaya
Dr. Fernando Lares-Villa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• free-living amoeba
• omics
• comparative genomics
• One Health
• drug discovery
• transcriptomics
• metabolomics
• molecular characterization