Microsporidia Detection in Stools from Pets and Animals from the Zoo in Portugal: A Preliminary Study

Lobo, Maria; Teles, Ana; Cunha, Margarida B.; Henriques, Joaquim; Lourenço, Ana Mafalda; Antúnes, Francisco; Matos, Olga

doi:10.1111/j.1550-7408.2003.tb00638.x

Cited by 19 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…In this line, microsporidia spores have recently been detected in water sources and foods, including vegetables and bivalves (18,41,52). Therefore, in the last few years several authors have focused on animal microsporidiosis, mainly in mammalians, in order to elucidate the possible zoonotic origin of human microsporidiosis (1,4,11,14,17,22,26,32,34,36,41,45,47). Since studies on birds close to humans are much scarcer (3,7,21,37,42,48,49,51), we decided to investigate the possible presence of human-related microsporidia in park pigeons.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, E. bieneusi, E. intestinalis, and E. hellem were considered only human parasites, but the first two have been identified in a wide range of domestic and wild animals (1,4,11,14,17,22,26,32,34,36,41,45), and E. hellem has been found in avian hosts (3,7,21,37,42,48,49,51). Consequently, the zoonotic potential of human-related microsporidia is a focus of discussion (59) and efforts have been made towards the development of a series of genetic markers for some species (16,19,20,27,37,46,48,50,60,61).…”

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confidence: 99%

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First Detection and Genotyping of Human-Associated Microsporidia in Pigeons from Urban Parks

Haro

Izquierdo

Henriques‐Gil

et al. 2005

Appl Environ Microbiol

110

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Microsporidia are ubiquitous opportunistic parasites in nature infecting all animal phyla, and the zoonotic potential of this parasitosis is under discussion. Fecal samples from 124 pigeons from seven parks of Murcia (Spain) were analyzed. Thirty-six of them (29.0%) showed structures compatible with microsporidia spores by staining methods. The DNA isolated from 26 fecal samples (20.9%) of microsporidia-positive pigeons was amplified with specific primers for the four most frequent human microsporidia. Twelve pigeons were positive for only Enterocytozoon bieneusi (9.7%), 5 for Encephalitozoon intestinalis (4%), and one for Encephalitozoon hellem (0.8%). Coinfections were detected in eight additional pigeons: E. bieneusi and E. hellem were detected in six animals (4.8%); E. bieneusi was associated with E. intestinalis in one case (0.8%); and E. hellem and E. intestinalis coexisted in one pigeon. No positive samples for Encephalitozoon cuniculi were detected. The internally transcribed spacer genotype could be completed for one E. hellem-positive pigeon; the result was identical to the genotype A1 previously characterized in an E. hellem Spanish strain of human origin. To our knowledge, this is the first time that human-related microsporidia have been identified in urban park pigeons. Moreover, we can conclude that there is no barrier to microsporidia transmission between park pigeons and humans for E. intestinalis and E. hellem. This study is of environmental and sanitary interest, because children and elderly people constitute the main visitors of parks and they are populations at risk for microsporidiosis. It should also contribute to the better design of appropriate prophylactic measures for populations at risk for opportunistic infections.Microsporidia are intracellular obligate parasites mainly considered as opportunistic pathogens (58), ubiquitous in nature, infecting all animal phyla (6, 59). Although initially associated with AIDS patients, they are being detected in increasing numbers in immunocompetent patients and thus are gaining attention as emerging pathogens (25,33,35,53,56). The phylum Microsporidia contains over 144 genera and 1,200 species (59). The number of genera implicated in human microsporidiosis has increased at the same rate as the improvements in diagnostic techniques, and the interest in this group of parasites has grown accordingly. To date, eight genera are recognized as human pathogens: Nosema, Vittaforma, Pleistophora, Encephalitozoon, Enterocytozoon, Brachiola, Trachipleistophora, and Microsporidium. Among these, Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the species of microsporidia that most frequently causes infection in humans, followed by Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Encephalitozoon hellem, and Encephalitozoon cuniculi.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

First Detection and Genotyping of Human-Associated Microsporidia in Pigeons from Urban Parks

Haro

Izquierdo

Henriques‐Gil

et al. 2005

Appl Environ Microbiol

110

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“…In domestic cats, only three cases of E. cuniculi infections have been reported (37,178). In captive carnivores, disseminated infections similar to those found in dogs occurred in fox cubs (215).…”

Section: Infections In Animalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Zoonotic Potential of the Microsporidia

2005

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Microsporidia are long-known parasitic organisms of almost every animal group, including invertebrates and vertebrates. Microsporidia emerged as important opportunistic pathogens in humans when AIDS became pandemic and, more recently, have also increasingly been detected in otherwise immunocompromised patients, including organ transplant recipients, and in immunocompetent persons with corneal infection or diarrhea. Two species causing rare infections in humans, Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Brachiola vesicularum, had previously been described from animal hosts (vertebrates and insects, respectively). However, several new microsporidial species, including Enterocytozoon bieneusi, the most prevalent human microsporidian causing human immunodeficiency virus-associated diarrhea, have been discovered in humans, raising the question of their natural origin. Vertebrate hosts are now identified for all four major microsporidial species infecting humans (E. bieneusi and the three Encephalitozoon spp.), implying a zoonotic nature of these parasites. Molecular studies have identified phenotypic and/or genetic variability within these species, indicating that they are not uniform, and have allowed the question of their zoonotic potential to be addressed. The focus of this review is the zoonotic potential of the various microsporidia and a brief update on other microsporidia which have no known host or an invertebrate host and which cause rare infections in humans

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“…The four most common human microsporidian species, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Encephalitozoon hellem, and Encephalitozoon cuniculi, have been reported in a wide range of domestic and wild animals (3,4,7,9,11,13,14,18). Thus, it has been debated for some time now whether animals, namely birds, could be a source of microsporidiosis for humans (9,15).…”

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confidence: 99%

Identification of Potentially Human-Pathogenic Enterocytozoon bieneusi Genotypes in Various Birds

Lobo

Xiao

Cama

et al. 2006

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Microsporidia Detection in Stools from Pets and Animals from the Zoo in Portugal: A Preliminary Study

Cited by 19 publications

References 10 publications

First Detection and Genotyping of Human-Associated Microsporidia in Pigeons from Urban Parks

First Detection and Genotyping of Human-Associated Microsporidia in Pigeons from Urban Parks

Zoonotic Potential of the Microsporidia

Identification of Potentially Human-Pathogenic Enterocytozoon bieneusi Genotypes in Various Birds

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