Practical Parasitology

Enterocytozoon bieneusi

• Microsporidia are intracellular protozoan parasites.
• Five (5) genera are known to infect humans, Encephalitozoon, Enterocytozoon, Nosema, Septata and Pleistophora.(39)(40)
• Encephalitozoon rarely infecting humans infects the liver and spleen.
• Enterocytozoon is the most common microsporidia found in humans infecting the intestine and biliary tree.(41)
• Septata is a genera known to infect the bowel with dissemination to the kidney and gallbladder.
• Nosema have been recovered from corneal infections.
• Pleistophora infecting muscle tissue.
• The majority of cases reported are from immunocompromised patients. Regardless of the patients life style the most common symptom is chronic diarrhea.(44)
• In the case of E. bieneusi (studied here) laboratory diagnosis is made by demonstrating the microsporidian spores found in stool.
• A number of methods are used including fluorescence, PCR and Weber's modified Trichrome stain or modified versions.(42)(43)
• A study comparing PCR detection and light microscopy indicated a difference in the quality of results between laboratories and not the methods that were employed to achieve the results. This perhaps indicates a lack of training and demonstrated expertise. It also indicated a weakness in the commercially available PCR kits.(45)

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David M. Raymondo
MLT, CLS(m)
Professional Affiliation: Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Gamma-Dynacare is a Division of the Dynacare Health Group