Latent Microsporidial Infection in Immunocompetent Individuals – A Longitudinal Study

0360132 - BC 2012 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Sak, Bohumil - Kváč, Martin - Kučerová, Z. - Květoňová, Dana - Saková, Kamila
Latent Microsporidial Infection in Immunocompetent Individuals – A Longitudinal Study.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Roč. 5, č. 5 (2011), e1162. ISSN 1935-2735. E-ISSN 1935-2735
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KJB500960701; GA ČR GP523/07/P117
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60220518
Keywords : Microsporidia * AIDS * indirect immunofluorescence assay * Encephalitozoon * immunosupression
Subject RIV: EC - Immunology
Impact factor: 4.716, year: 2011

Microsporidia (Fungi) have been repeatedly identified as the cause of opportunistic infections predominantly in immunodeficient individuals such as AIDS patients. However, the global epidemiology of human microsporidiosis is poorly understood and the ability of microsporidia to survive and multiply in immunocompetent hosts remains unsolved. Sera, urine and stool originating from 15 persons (HIV-negative people at risk with occupational exposure to animals, aged 22–56 years, living in the Czech Republic) have been tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for the presence of specific anti-microsporidial antibodies, standard Calcofluor M2R staining for the detection of microsporidian spores in all urine sediments and stool smears and molecular methods for the microsporidial species determination. Our data clearly show that exposure to microsporidia is common and chronic microsporidiosis is not linked to any clinical manifestation in healthy population.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0197757