Genotypic identification of Acanthamoeba sp. isolates associated with an outbreak of acanthamoeba keratitis.

Purpose Significant increases in Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) cases have been observed in the Chicago-Gary-Kenosha area since June, 2003. It was hypothesized that increased rates of AK infections may be due to changes resulting from changes in municipal water treatment, or, alternatively, a more pathogenic strain of Acanthamoeba may be responsible.