Microsporidia

Microsporidia infections are newly-recognized opportunistic infections that often found in AIDS patients. It infects human by the production on spores which are tiny and difficult to spot using convectional microscopic techniques. Spores contains polar tubules which acts as extrusion mechanisms to introduce spore contents into new host cell.

Criteria for classificiation include characterisitcs which vary among genera and species, such as size of spores, configuration of the nuclei in the spores, and the number of polar tubile coils within the spore.

 

Structure:

The spores measures to 1.5 to 4.0 micrometers and contains polar tubules which are extrusion mechanisms for delivery of sporoplasm to the host.

 

taken from: https://www.palaeos.com/Eukarya/Units/StemMetazoa/Microsporidia.html

 

Pathogenesis:

Infection takes place after the ingestion of spores when the spores pass the duodenum. Once inside a suitable host cell, it multiplies extensively within the cytoplasm. Intracellular mutliplication involves binary fission (merogony) and a sporogony (a phrase culminating in spore formation). Parasites are spread from cell to cell, causing death of many cells as well as local inflammation. After sporogony may be excreted into the environment thus continuing the cycle.

 

Clinical Syndromes:

AIDS patients who are diagnoised with such infection are usually marked by persistent and debilitating diarrhea similiar to patients with cryptosporidiosis (https://www.mamashealth.com/crypto.asp), cyclosporiasis (https://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/954992798.html) or isosporiasis (https://www.aegis.com/topics/oi/oi-isosporiasis.html).

 

Treatment and Prevention:

There are no specific recommendations that exist for prevention of infection, basically good personal hygiene and careful infection control practices thus preventing some infections.

We do not take credit for any of the information found in this website. All the information is obtained from various forms of literature.

Parasite is defined as an organism that derives its nutrients from another living organism, the host. Parasitic diseases are usually referred to those caused by protozoa, helminths and arthropods which love at the expense of their host. Successful parasites are the ones who are able to maintain their own life processes without killing their host.

Several ways to distinguish parasites infection and bacteria/viruses infection:

  1. Parasites have a complex life cycle that involves the formation of resistant cyst in the organism. (it can usually survive for long periods outside the host.)
  2. Life cycle might involve an insect vector (carrier) that is important for the transmission of disease. In most cases, it is impossible to eliminate the vector effectively.
  3. Some parasites are capable of infecting both humans and animals, thus both can act as reservoirs for the infection. This is true for most protozal infections carried by insects.
  4. Many parasites has life cycle that requires enough time to allow for the various stages to mature, either in soil or in an insect or host.