Bacteria are the most common pathogens isolated in acute travelers' diarrhea.
Some patients returning from tropical and subtropical areas suffer from prolonged diarrhea lasting more than 14 days. Instestinal protozoan parasites such as Cryptosporidium, parvum, Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Blastocystis homonis, and Cyclospora cayentanensis seem to be relevant pathogens. Limited data are available about the role of microsporidia in travelers' diarrhea. This investigation tested whether microsporidia are possibly relevant pathogens in returned travelers. We examined stool specimens of 120 patients with persistent diarrhea after travel to tropical countries attending an outpatient clinic for tropical disease between January and March 1998.