Abstract: Two hundred and seventeen captive great apes (150 chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes; 14 bonobos, Pan paniscus; 53 western gorillas, Gorilla gorilla) and 20 personnel from thirteen European zoos and two African sanctuaries were sampled and examined in order to determine the occurrence ofEnterocytozoon bieneusi and species of Encephalitozoon in faecal specimens and to compare the epidemiolog...

This study was performed to evaluate the incidence of and risk factors for Enterocytozoon bieneusi carriage in an orphanage in Bangkok, Thailand. E. bieneusi has been identified by PCR every 2 consecutive months since June 2003. The incidence ranged between 0.6 and 4.7/100 person-months. Person-to-person transmission was indicated by risk factor analysis and genotyping information.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi was detected in 24 of 83 samples from birds of the orders Columbiformes, Passeriformes, and Psittaciformes. It was identical to or closely related to the Peru6 genotype, which was previously found in humans in Peru. Thus, various birds can be a significant source of environmental contamination by potentially human-pathogenic E. bieneusi.

A patient with AIDS and chronic diarrhea caused by Enterocytozoon bieneusi was successfully treated with nitazoxanide, producing a complete clinical and parasitological response, while off of antiviral therapy. This suggests that nitazoxanide may be effective in treating microsporidiosis caused by E. bieneusi, a disease for which there is no established treatment.

Cyclospora papionis, Cryptosporidium hominis, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi were detected in 42 (17.9%), 6 (2.6%), and 29 (12.3%) of 235 newly captured baboons in Kenya, respectively. Most C. hominis subtypes and E. bieneusi genotypes found have been detected in humans in the area, suggesting that cross-species transmission of cryptosporidiosis and microsporidiosis is possible.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi microsporidiosis is an emerging disease in immunocompromised patients. We report 2 cases of this disease in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients successfully treated with fumagillin. Thrombocytopenia occurred but without major adverse events. Modifications of immunosuppression could be avoided when E. bieneusi is rapidly identified and fumagillin therap...

We identified genotypes of Enterocytozoon bieneusi from 33 stool samples of Thai human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adult patients. Genotype D was identified at the highest frequency (36.4%), while genotype E was the second most common (15.1%). Genotypes O and PigEBITS 7, previously found only in pigs, were observed in Thai HIV-infected patients. Phylogenetic analysis supported a zoono...

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an agent of intestinal microsporidiosis leading to malabsorption syndrome and diarrhea in AIDS patients. Respiratory tract microsporidiosis due to Encephalitozoon spp. has been reported. To date, however, only two cases of pulmonary involvement of E. bieneusi have been documented for patients with intestinal microsporidiosis. We report here another pulmonary localizat...

Cryptosporidium spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi are two prevalent opportunistic pathogens in humans and animals. Currently, few data are available on genetic characterization of both pathogens in rabbits in China. The aim of the present study was to understand prevalence and genetic characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi in rabbits. We collected 215 fecal samples from 150 Rex...

A review was conducted to examine published works that focus on the complex epidemiology of Enterocytozoon bieneusi infection in humans. Studies on the prevalence of these emerging microsporidian pathogens in humans, in developed and developing countries, the different clinical spectra of E. bieneusi intestinal infection in children, in different settings, and the risk factors associated with E...