Published:
American Society for Microbiology, 2001
Published in:
Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 39 (2001) 12, Seite 4495-4499
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1128/jcm.39.12.4495-4499.2001
ISSN:
0095-1137;
1098-660X
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
ABSTRACT The reservoirs and the modes of transmission of the most frequent microsporidial species in humans, Enterocytozoon bieneusi , are still unknown. We have examined fecal samples of 26 humans and 350 animals from 37 species to find 18 samples containing this parasite from humans, cats, pigs, cattle, and a llama. Genotypic characterization of the internal transcribed spacer of the rRNA gene resulted in 14 different genotypes, 6 of them previously undescribed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the lack of a transmission barrier between E. bieneusi from humans and animals (cats, pigs, and cattle). Thus, E. bieneusi appears to be a zoonotic pathogen.