Clinical and microscopical features of small-intestinal microsporidiosis in patients with AIDS
- Resource Type
- Authors
- P. Caramello; M. Romeo; A. Ullio; A. Lucchini; B. Forno; T. Brancale; P. Gioannini; G. Mazzucco; G. DeRosa; A. Macor; C. Preziosi
- Source
- Infection. 23:362-368
- Subject
- Adult
Male
Spores
Microbiology (medical)
Pathology
medicine.medical_specialty
Paromomycin
Opportunistic infection
Albendazole
Microsporidiosis
Asymptomatic
Stain
Immunocompromised Host
Metronidazole
medicine
Animals
Humans
Enterocytozoon bieneusi
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Protozoan Infections
biology
Microsporida
Drug Resistance, Microbial
General Medicine
Middle Aged
biology.organism_classification
medicine.disease
Staining
Infectious Diseases
Female
medicine.symptom
Follow-Up Studies
medicine.drug
- Language
- ISSN
- 1439-0973
0300-8126
Intestinal microsporidiosis by Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an increasingly recognized infection in AIDS patients. We report eight cases of microsporidiosis. All patients were severely immunodepressed. Clinical features were highly variable. Patients were followed up for a mean period of 7.8 months. All patients had persistent infection during the follow-up and spore excretion remained constant. Two patients became asymptomatic during the follow-up. None of the patients presented clinical and echographic signs of biliary involvement. Treatment with albendazole, metronidazole or paromomycin failed to produce a durable clinical response or to eradicate the organism. Cases were identified by stool examination and additionally investigated with light and electron microscopy. It was found that light microscopy was a sensitive method, while electron microscopy was less sensitive but allowed the definition of the infecting species. The modified trichrome stain was a satisfactory method for diagnosis on fecal smears. The calcofluor stain and the combination of DAPI with calcofluor was a rapid and simple staining method for screening.