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microsporidia
Obligate intracellular, spore-forming protozoa. Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon hellem & Septata intestinalis are the species most commonly infecting humans.
Etiology:
- immunodeficency is risk factor
- HIV1 infection
- organ transplantation
- diabetes mellitus
- children & elderly
Epidemiology:
- acquired through fecal-oral transmission or via inhalation of spores
Clinical manifestations:
- chronic watery diarrhea (nonbloody), weight loss, abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting
- cholecystitis
- renal failure
- respiratory tract infection, brain infection, muscle infection
- keratoconjunctivitis in patients with HIV1 infection
Laboratory:
- Microsporidia in stool (acid-fast)
- Microsporidia DNA
Management:
- albendazole for 2-4 weeks for ocular, intestinal or disseminated disease [3]
Related
microsporidiosis
Specific
Encephalitozoon
Enterocytozoon
Nosema
Pleistophora
Septata
General
microspora
Properties
KINGDOM: animal
PHYLUM: protozoa
References
- Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods,
19th edition, J.B. Henry (ed), W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia,
PA. 1996, pg 1281-82
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed.
Fauci et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1998, pg 1204
- Grimm L
What's Eating You: 12 Common Intestinal Parasites.
Medscape. November 25, 2019
https://reference.medscape.com/slideshow/intestinal-parasites-6010996