Transmission and serial propagation of Enterocytozoon bieneusi from humans and rhesus macaques in gnotobiotic piglets

• Published in: Infection and immunity Vol. 66; no. 11; pp. 5515 - 5519
• Main Authors: KONDOVA, I, MANSFIELD, K, BUCKHOLT, M. A, STEIN, B, WIDMER, G, CARVILLE, A, LACKNER, A, TZIPORI, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01.11.1998
• Subjects: AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - genetics; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - immunology; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - physiopathology; Animals; Apansporoblastina - growth & development; Biological and medical sciences; DNA, Ribosomal - analysis; Enterocytozoon bieneusi; Experimental protozoal diseases and models; Fungal and Parasitic Infections; Genotype; Germ-Free Life; Humans; Infectious diseases; Macaca mulatta; Medical sciences; Parasitic diseases; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; Protozoal diseases; Protozoan Infections, Animal - genetics; Protozoan Infections, Animal - immunology; Protozoan Infections, Animal - physiopathology; Serial Passage - methods; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - genetics; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - immunology; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - physiopathology; Swine; Swine Diseases - immunology; Swine Diseases - parasitology; Swine Diseases - physiopathology; Protozoa; Animal model; Gnotobiotic animal; Protozoal disease; Parasitosis; Cnidosporidia; Infection; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Swine; Pathogenic; Enterocytozoon bieneusi; Artiodactyla; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0019-9567; 1098-5522
• DOI: 10.1128/IAI.66.11.5515-5519.1998

For over a decade Enterocytozoon bieneusi infections in people with AIDS have been linked with chronic diarrhea and wasting. The slow scientific progress in treating these infections is attributed to the inability of investigators to cultivate the parasite, which has also precluded evaluation of effective therapies. We report here successful serial transmissions of E. bieneusi from patients with AIDS and from macaques with AIDS to immunosuppressed gnotobiotic piglets. One infected piglet was still excreting spores at necropsy 50 days after an oral challenge. Spores in feces were detected microscopically by trichrome stain and by PCR and within enterocytes by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. E. bieneusi infection induced no symptoms. The development of an animal model for E. bieneusi will open up new opportunities for investigating this parasite.