Microsporidia in Humans
Authors: Johannes Berg
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1996)

Letters15 September 1996Microsporidia in HumansJohannes Berg, MD, Leslie E. Diaz, MD, and Bradley S. Bender, MDJohannes Berg, MDVeterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL 32608-1197Search for more papers by this author, Leslie E. Diaz, MDVeterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL 32608-1197Search for more papers by this author, and Bradley S. Bender, MDVeterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL 32608-1197Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-125-6-199609150-00039 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Microsporidia are ubiquitous, obligate intracellular parasites that can infect all classes of animals. Five genera—Enterocytozoon, Encephalitozoon, Septata, Pleistophora, and Nosema—and a sixth taxon, which contains unclassified microsporidia, infect humans [1, 2]. The sources and modes of transmission remain unknown [1, 2]. Microsporidia species infect the central nervous system in animals, but brain involvement in humans has not been reported [2].A 33-year-old man presented with transient right-sided hemiparesis and left temporal headache. The patient had a 10-year history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (CD4 count, 4 cells/mm3) and cytomegalovirus retinitis. His medications included trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, fluconazole, and ...References1. Weber R, Bryan RT, Schwartz DA, Owen RL. Human microsporidial infections. Clin Microbiol Rev. 1994; 7:426-61. Google Scholar2. Canning EU, Lom J. The microsporidia of vertebrates. London: Academic Pr; 1986. Google Scholar3. Yachnis AT, Berg J, Martinez-Salazar A, Bender BS, Diaz L, Rojiani AM, et al. Disseminated microsporidiosis especially involving the CNS, heart, and kidneys: report of a newly recognized pansporoblastic species in two symptomatic AIDS patients. Am J Clin Pathol. [In press]. Google Scholar4. Carr A, Tindall B, Brew BJ, Marriott DJ, Harkness JL, Penny R, et al. Low-dose trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis for toxoplasmic encephalitis in patients with AIDS. Ann Intern Med. 1992; 117:106-11. Google Scholar5. Orenstein JM, Dieterich DT, Lew EA, Kotler DP. Albendazole as a treatment for intestinal and disseminated microsporidiosis due to Septata intestinalis in AIDS patients: a report of four patients. AIDS. 1993; 7(Suppl 3):S40-2. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Johannes Berg, MD; Leslie E. Diaz, MD; Bradley S. Bender, MDAffiliations: Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL 32608-1197 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byParasitic Central Nervous System Infections in Immunocompromised Hosts: Malaria, Microsporidiosis, Leishmaniasis, and African TrypanosomiasisMolecular Techniques for Detection, Species Differentiation, and Phylogenetic Analysis of Microsporidia 15 September 1996Volume 125, Issue 6Page: 522-523KeywordsAIDSBiopsyBrainCentral nervous systemCerebrospinal fluidLesionsMicrosporidiaMicrosporidiosisToxoplasma gondiiToxoplasmosis ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 15 September 1996 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1996 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...