Mammalian Animal Models of Human Microsporidiosis

Didier, Elizabeth S.

doi:10.1002/9781118395264.ch12

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 165 publications

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“…Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a common pathogen of rabbits and other domestic and wild mammals, including primates. 7 In rabbits, E. cuniculi causes a chronic infection mainly characterized by severe damage of the central nervous system and renal tissue, producing severe granulomatous meningoencephalitis and a granulomatous interstitial nephritis, respectively. 27 It has been proposed that the inflammatory granulomatous response is caused by a structural component of the endospore, chitin.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histochemical study of Encephalitozoon cuniculi spores in the kidneys of naturally infected New Zealand rabbits

et al. 2017

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Encephalitozoon cuniculi is an important microsporidian pathogen that is considered an emergent, zoonotic, and opportunistic. It infects both domestic and laboratory rabbits, generating severe chronic interstitial and granulomatous nephritis with fibrosis and granulomatous encephalitis. Encephalitozoonosis is diagnosed in paraffin-embedded sections by examining the spores in the host tissues. The spores are difficult to observe when the samples are stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), particularly when there is an inflammatory reaction and tissue damage. The spores are easily mistaken for other microorganisms, such as fungi (yeasts), protozoa, and bacteria. In our study, we used kidney samples from E. cuniculi-positive rabbits and employed 14 recommended histologic stains for detecting microsporidia spores: alcian blue, calcofluor white, Giemsa, Gram, Grocott, H&E, Luna, Luxol fast blue, Masson trichrome, modified trichrome stain (MTS), periodic acid-Schiff reaction (PAS), Van Gieson, Warthin-Starry (WS), and Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN).We concluded that MTS and Gram stain, detected by light microscopy, and calcofluor white stain, detected by ultraviolet light microscopy, are the best stains for detecting spores of E. cuniculi in paraffin-embedded tissues from infected rabbits. These stains were superior to WS, ZN, Giemsa, and PAS for identifying spores without background "noise" or monochromatic interference. Also, they allow individual spores to be discerned in paraffin-embedded tissues. MTS allows observation of the polar tube, polaroplast, and posterior vacuole, the most distinctive parts of the spore.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histochemical study of Encephalitozoon cuniculi spores in the kidneys of naturally infected New Zealand rabbits

et al. 2017

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“…This study is somewhat limited by the small number of animals studied and the fact that only rabbits with obvious neurological symptoms were examined. However, from our data, we infer that the relationship between host resistance and the infecting agent may exist in a balanced state [ 28 ]. We propose that extensive proliferation of E. cuniculi in the brain could lead to the rupture of the parasitic cysts, releasing infective spores directly into the adjacent nervous tissue [ 29 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Encephalitozoon cuniculi: Grading the Histological Lesions in Brain, Kidney, and Liver during Primoinfection Outbreak in Rabbits

Rodríguez-Tovar

Nevárez-Garza

Trejo-Chávez

et al. 2016

Journal of Pathogens

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This is the first confirmed report of Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi) in farm meat rabbits located in Northern Mexico. Eighty young rabbits exhibited clinical signs of this zoonotic emerging disease, like torticollis, ataxia, paresis, circling, and rolling. Samples of brain, kidney, and liver were examined for histology lesions. For the first time the lesions caused by E. cuniculi were graded according to their severity (I, II, and III) and the size of the granulomas (Types A, B, and C). The main cerebral injuries were Grade III, coinciding with the presence of Type C granulomas. The cerebral lesions were located in the cortex, brain stem, and medulla. The renal lesions were also Grade III distributed throughout cortex and renal medulla, with no granuloma formation. The involvement of hypersensitivity Types III and IV is suggested. All of the rabbits were seropositive to E. cuniculi by CIA testing, suggesting that this zoonotic and emerging pathogen is widely distributed among animals intended for human consumption. We believe this work could be used as a guide when examining E. cuniculi and will provide direction to confirm the diagnosis of this pathogen.

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“…Due to its clinical importance in the rabbit population and the considered zoonotic potential of E. cuniculi [4], a detailed study of this microsporidial infection in rabbits is of scientific interest. Nevertheless, most studies examining infection course and immune response to E. cuniculi infection have utilized murine models [28]. The present study described in detail the spread of the E. cuniculi in a rabbit organism after experimental oral infection and the host humoral and cellular immune response, including cytokine production.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Characterization of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in rabbits orally infected with Encephalitozoon cuniculi

Jeklová¹,

Levá²,

Matiašovic³

et al. 2020

Vet Res

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Encephalitozoonosis is a common infectious disease widely spread among rabbits. Encephalitozoon cuniculi, is considered as a zoonotic and emerging pathogen capable of infecting both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts. The aim of the study was to describe in detail the spread of the E. cuniculi in a rabbit organism after experimental infection and the host humoral and cellular immune response including cytokine production. For that purpose, healthy immunocompetent rabbits were infected orally in order to simulate the natural route of infection and euthanised at 2, 4, 6 and 8-weeks post-infection. Dissemination of E. cuniculi in the body of the rabbit was more rapid than previously reported. As early as 2 weeks post-infection, E. cuniculi was detected using immunohistochemistry not only in the intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, liver, kidneys, lungs and heart, but also in nervous tissues, especially in medulla oblongata, cerebellum, and leptomeninges. Based on flow cytometry, no conspicuous changes in lymphocyte subpopulations were detected in the examined lymphoid organs of infected rabbits. Cell-mediated immunity was characterized by ability of both CD4 + and CD8 + T cells to proliferate after stimulation with specific antigens. Th1 polarization of immune response with a predominance of IFN-γ expression was detected in spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer's patches. The increased expression of IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA in mixed samples from the small intestine is indicative of balanced control of IFN-γ, which prevents tissue damage. On the other hand, it can enable E. cuniculi to survive and persist in the host organism in a balanced host-parasite relationship. The Th17 immunity lineage seems to play only a minor role in E. cuniculi infection in rabbits.

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Mammalian Animal Models of Human Microsporidiosis

Cited by 4 publications

References 165 publications

Histochemical study of Encephalitozoon cuniculi spores in the kidneys of naturally infected New Zealand rabbits

Histochemical study of Encephalitozoon cuniculi spores in the kidneys of naturally infected New Zealand rabbits

Encephalitozoon cuniculi: Grading the Histological Lesions in Brain, Kidney, and Liver during Primoinfection Outbreak in Rabbits

Characterization of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in rabbits orally infected with Encephalitozoon cuniculi

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