Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology

Free-living Amoebae infections: Emerging pathogens under the radar

3^rd International Congress on Bacteriology and Infectious Diseases

August 04-06, 2015 Valencia, Spain

Jacob Lorenzo-Morales

Keynote: J Bacteriol Parasitol

Abstract:

Free-Living amoebae present a few genera that are able to act as opportunistic pathogens and have been recognized as
causative agents of Lethal Encephalitis and Amoebic Keratitis. Among them Naegleriafowleri, Balamuthiamandrillaris and
Acanthamoeba species infection cases are dramatically rising worldwide. No standardized diagnostic tools and a lack of fully
effective anti-amoebic Agents are of high concern. Regarding therapy against these amoebae, the existence of a highly resistant
cyst stage in the amoebic life cycle is the main obstacle in the development of fully effective therapeutic agents. In this speech,
the experience and most interesting cases gathered in our laboratory in TB recent years regarding diagnosis and treatment are
presented.

Biography :

Jacob Lorenzo-Moralesstudied Biology at the University of La Laguna where he earned a degree in biology in health, molecular and marine branch in 2001. He
entered the Department of Parasitology, Ecology and Genetics that year, as a student of third cycle for the realization of his doctoral thesis on free-living amoebae.
In 2003 he graduated as Diploma in Molecular Oncology. In June 2006, he defended his doctoral thesis with “European Mention” and qualified with distinction cum
laude. After this stage, began his postdoctoral career at the Centre for Integrative Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh. He has
published 46 articles on parasitology in international journals indexed in the JCR and four book chapters (two international). As Scientific Secretary participated
in the last two editions of the International Congresses of free-living amoebae (Free-living amoebae Meeting; FLAM FLAM 2009 and 2011) and has served as
editor of the journal Experimental Parasitology in 2010. He has participated in several projects funded research MINECO and the Canary Islands Government and
private entities. Recently, in 2012 he obtained a Ramón y Cajal contract, joining with him to the University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the
Canary Islands, where, at present, performed their research in the laboratory of free-living amoebae led. He is the current secretary of the National Association of
Researchers Ramon Y Cajal (ANIRC).