Acanthamoeba spp. genotypes demonstrate genotype-specific motility and encystment differences in both fed and starved environments

Overall, these results indicate that eight of the common genotypes of <i>Acanthamoeba</i> vary widely in terms of size, speed, rates of encystment, and response to nutritional state. From these, we can infer that <i>Acanthamoeba</i> keratitis prevention methods must be robust enough to counter amoeba in trophozoite or cyst form, and that amoeba should be expected to be able to traverse a wide variety of distances (for instance, across a contact lens or onto a corneal epithelium) in either a fed or starved nutritional state.