Human enteropathogenic microsporidia (HEM), Cryptosporidium parvum, Cyclospora cayetanesis, and Giardia lamblia are associated with gastrointestinal disease in humans. To date, the mode of transmission and environmental occurrence of HEM (Encephalitozoon intestinalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi) and Cyclospora cayetanesis have not been fully elucidated due to lack of sensitive and specific envi...

This study emphasizes the importance of free-living coatis as a potential source of microsporidian infection for humans living in large cities. We found 19 (31.7%) positive results among 60 fecal samples analyzed by PCR-based analysis and the Gram-Chromotrope staining technique (11.7% were positive for Encephalitozoon cuniculi, 6.7% for E. intestinalis, 6.7% for E. hellem, and 6.7% for Enterocy...

A serological survey was conducted in the Patagonia region of Argentina to estimate the prevalence of nine disease agents within the populations of free-ranging culpeo (Dusicyon culpaeus) and grey (Dusicyon griseus) foxes. The disease agents were Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV), Brucella, canine adenovirus (CAV), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine parvovirus (CPV), Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Le...

This is a case report of cerebral microsporidiosis found in a young squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) in a colony located in Japan, which probably died of yersiniosis due to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection. The microsporidia, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, was detected in the brain of the yersiniosis-diseased monkey and was further characterized as a genetically unique type of strain III. The...

objective: microsporidia are ubiquitous opportunistic pathogens infecting all animal phyla. the purpose of this study was to characterization human-associated microsporidia in pigeons of tehran by staining and molecular methods. materials and methods: in the year 2010 a total of 147 pigeon’s fecal samples were randomly collected from bird stores and public parks of tehran and screened for the ...

background: as a zoonotic pathogen, encephalitozoon cuniculi is a cause of serious disease in animals and people. the present study was to evaluate the health status examination of this seropositive animal care worker in our pre-vious study. methods: blood samples were taken from five workers. cia test was ap-plied to detect antibodies against e. cuniculi in blood serum. the indirect immunofluo...

The genome of the microsporidia Encephalitozoon cuniculi is widely recognized as a model for extreme reduction and compaction. At only 2.9 Mbp, the genome encodes approximately 2,000 densely packed genes and little else. However, the nuclear genome of its sister, Encephalitozoon intestinalis, is even more reduced; at 2.3 Mbp, it represents a 20% reduction from an already severely compacted geno...

The production of three cytokines, interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin 10 (IL-10) and interleukin 12 (IL-12), was measured after intraperitoneal infection of immunocompetent Balb/c mice and immunodeficient SCID mice with the microsporidian, Encephalitozoon cuniculi Levaditi, Nicolau et Schoen, 1923. High levels of IFN-gamma were detected in ex vivo cultures of peritoneal exudate cells (PE...

MICROSPORIDIA in the genus Encephalitozoon are obligate intracellular parasites transmitted by spores via the fecal– oral route. Encephalitozoon intestinalis, E. hellem, and E. cuniculi infect humans and wild and domesticated animals. Relevant reservoirs and the routes of spread of these species infecting humans remain largely unknown. However, detection of spores in groundwater, water used for...