This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by del Aguila, C.
Right arrow Articles by Pieniazek, N. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by del Aguila, C.
Right arrow Articles by Pieniazek, N. J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 07 1997, 1862-1866, Vol 35, No. 7
Copyright © 1997 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Identification of Enterocytozoon bieneusi spores in respiratory samples from an AIDS patient with a 2-year history of intestinal microsporidiosis

C del Aguila, R Lopez-Velez, S Fenoy, C Turrientes, J Cobo, R Navajas, GS Visvesvara, GP Croppo, AJ Da Silva and NJ Pieniazek
Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnicas, Universidad San Pablo CEU, Madrid, Spain.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi, a microsporidian parasite, has been recognized since 1985 as an agent of intestinal microsporidiosis leading to malabsorption syndrome, diarrhea, and weight loss in AIDS patients. Recently, however, we have identified E. bieneusi spores in the sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage, and stool samples of an AIDS patient with a 2- year history of intestinal microsporidiosis. The spores were characterized by Weber's chromotrope-based staining, immunofluorescence tests, and PCR. No microsporidia were detected in urine samples by the same techniques. PCR was performed with DNAs purified from specimens with E. bieneusi-, Encephalitozoon cuniculi-, Encephalitozoon hellem-, and Encephalitozoon (Septata) intestinalis-specific primers. Treatment with albendazole and loperamide resulted in an improvement of intestinal symptoms, without eradication of the parasite. To our knowledge, this is the second report of the identification of E. bieneusi spores in respiratory and enteric samples obtained from an AIDS patient. Although no pulmonary pathology could be established in either of these cases, it is now clear that E. bieneusi is capable of colonizing the respiratory tract and it is suggested that investigators should be aware of the possibility of finding E. bieneusi spores in respiratory secretions.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Stark, D., Barratt, J. L. N., van Hal, S., Marriott, D., Harkness, J., Ellis, J. T. (2009). Clinical Significance of Enteric Protozoa in the Immunosuppressed Human Population. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 22: 634-650 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Martinez-Giron, R., Esteban, J. G., Ribas, A., Doganci, L. (2008). Protozoa in respiratory pathology: a review. Eur Respir J 32: 1354-1370 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Graczyk, T. K., Johansson, M. A., Tamang, L., Visvesvara, G. S., Moura, L. S., DaSilva, A. J., Girouard, A. S., Matos, O. (2007). Retrospective Species Identification of Microsporidian Spores in Diarrheic Fecal Samples from Human Immunodeficiency Virus/AIDS Patients by Multiplexed Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization. J. Clin. Microbiol. 45: 1255-1260 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Haro, M., Izquierdo, F., Henriques-Gil, N., Andres, I., Alonso, F., Fenoy, S., del Aguila, C. (2005). First Detection and Genotyping of Human-Associated Microsporidia in Pigeons from Urban Parks. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 3153-3157 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Botterel, F., Minozzi, C., Vittecoq, D., Bouree, P. (2002). Pulmonary Localization of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in an AIDS Patient: Case Report and Review. J. Clin. Microbiol. 40: 4800-4801 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • HART, C.A., BEECHING, N.J., DUERDEN, B.I. (2000). Infections in AIDS: Proceedings of the Sixth Liverpool Tropical School Bayer Symposium on Microbial Diseases held on 6 February 1999. J Med Microbiol 49: 947-967 [Full Text]  
  • Orlandi, P. A., Lampel, K. A. (2000). Extraction-Free, Filter-Based Template Preparation for Rapid and Sensitive PCR Detection of Pathogenic Parasitic Protozoa. J. Clin. Microbiol. 38: 2271-2277 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wasson, K., Peper, R. L. (2000). Mammalian Microsporidiosis. Vet Pathol 37: 113-128 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Moura, H., Sodre, F. C., Bornay-Llinares, F. J., Leitch, G. J., Navin, T., Wahlquist, S., Bryan, R., Meseguer, I., Visvesvara, G. S. (1999). Detection by an Immunofluorescence Test of Encephalitozoon intestinalis Spores in Routinely Formalin-Fixed Stool Samples Stored at Room Temperature. J. Clin. Microbiol. 37: 2317-2322 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Franzen, C., Muller, A. (1999). Molecular Techniques for Detection, Species Differentiation, and Phylogenetic Analysis of Microsporidia. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 12: 243-285 [Abstract] [Full Text]