Microsporidia and HIV-related Diarrhea
Authors: J. M. Orenstein, D. Benator, D. P. Kotler, L. Rabeneck, R. M. Genta
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1994)

Letters1 June 1994Microsporidia and HIV-related DiarrheaJan Marc Orenstein, MD, PhD, Debra Benator, MD, and Donald P. Kotler, MDJan Marc Orenstein, MD, PhDGeorge Washington University Medical Center; Washington, DC 20037Washington Hospital Center; Washington, DC 20010St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center; New York, NY 10025Search for more papers by this author, Debra Benator, MDGeorge Washington University Medical Center; Washington, DC 20037Washington Hospital Center; Washington, DC 20010St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center; New York, NY 10025Search for more papers by this author, and Donald P. Kotler, MDGeorge Washington University Medical Center; Washington, DC 20037Washington Hospital Center; Washington, DC 20010St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center; New York, NY 10025Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-120-11-199406010-00021 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:The recent article by Rabeneck and colleagues [1] questioning the association between chronic diarrhea and intestinal microsporidiosis raises several concerns: Were the Enterocytozoon bieneusi-infected asymptomatic patients more likely to develop diarrhea than the pathogen-negative patients [2]? Why and how was transmission electron microscopy used for quantitation? Was there a difference in the degree of parasite maturation or pattern of mucosal infection between the groups? Was there a difference in the large-bowel burden of E. bieneusi[4] compared with that of the small bowel?The histopathologic findings are important because mucosal damage generally parallels parasite burden and the severity ...References1. Rabeneck L, Gyorkey F, Genta R, Gyorkey P, Foote LW, Risser JM. The role of Microsporidia in the pathogenesis of HIV-related chronic diarrhea. Ann Intern Med. 1993; 119:895-9. Google Scholar2. Eeftinck Schattenkerk JK, van Gool T, van Ketel RJ, Bartelsman JF, Kuiken C, Terpstra WJ, et al. Clinical significance of small-intestinal microsporidiosis in HIV-1-infected individuals. Lancet. 1991; 337: 895-8. Google Scholar3. Orenstein JM. Microsporidiosis in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. J Parasitol. 1991; 77:843-64. Google Scholar4. Gourley WK, Swedo JL. Intestinal infection by microsporidia Enterocytozoon bieneusi of patients with AIDS: an ultrastructural study of the use of human mitochondria by a protozoan (Abstract). Lab Invest. 1988; 58:35A. Google Scholar5. Orenstein JM, Dieterich DT, Lew EA, Kotler DP. Albendazole as a treatment for disseminated microsporidosis due to Septata intestinalis in AIDS patients. AIDS. 1994. (In press). Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: George Washington University Medical Center; Washington, DC 20037Washington Hospital Center; Washington, DC 20010St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center; New York, NY 10025 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byFungal Infections of the Gastrointestinal TractParasitosis intestinalesMicrosporidiosis in South Africa: PCR detection in stool samples of HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals and school children in Vhembe district, Limpopo ProvinceParasitoses intestinalesCryptosporidia and microsporidia—waterborne diseases in the immunocompromised hostClinical and microscopical features of small-intestinal microsporidiosis in patients with AIDSMicrosporidia and diarrhea in AIDS patients 1 June 1994Volume 120, Issue 11Page: 973-974KeywordsCryptosporidiosisDiarrheaElectron microscopyHIVLight microscopyMicrosporidiaMicrosporidiosisPathogensWeight lossXylose Issue Published: 1 June 1994 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1994 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...