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Two Encephalitozoon cuniculi strains of human origin are infectious to rabbits

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 1997

A. MATHIS ,
M. MICHEL ,
H. KUSTER ,
C. MÜLLER ,
R. WEBER  and
P. DEPLAZES
A. MATHIS
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, University of Zuürich, Winterthurerstrasse 266A, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
M. MICHEL
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, University of Zuürich, Winterthurerstrasse 266A, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
H. KUSTER
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Rämiostrasse 100, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland
C. MÜLLER
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, University of Zuürich, Winterthurerstrasse 266A, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
R. WEBER
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Rämiostrasse 100, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland
P. DEPLAZES
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, University of Zuürich, Winterthurerstrasse 266A, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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Abstract

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The microsporidian Encephalitozoon cuniculi can infect a wide variety of mammals including man. In this study, E. cuniculi isolates of animal origin were compared with 6 isolates obtained from HIV-infected patients. Based on results of Western blot analysis, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and the sequence of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) the isolates were classified into 3 groups with the repeated element 5′GTTT-3′ in the ITS being a reliable genetic marker. Five isolates from Swiss patients were found to be homologous to isolates from Swiss rabbits (strain I). The sixth isolate from a patient from Mexico differed by all methods and could be attributed to E. cuniculi strain III that has been described from 2 dogs from the USA. All of these isolates were distinguished from isolates from blue foxes from Norway (strain II). Intraspecific nucleotide divergence of the SSU rRNA gene of E. cuniculi belonging to the 3 strains was in the same low range (0·00–0·15%) as was found for the corresponding sequence of 2 E. hellem isolates. Groups of 2 rabbits were infected by oral inoculation of 107E. cuniculi spores (2 isolates from strain I of human and rabbit origin, 1 from strain III) as shown by antibody responses and the re-isolation of the parasites from brain material. The results provide further evidence that per oral transmission of the parasite between various hosts is feasible.

Keywords

Encephalitozoon cuniculiEncephalitozoon hellemHIV-infected patientszoonosesrDNA sequencesexperimental infection
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 114 , Issue 1 , January 1997 , pp. 29 - 35
Copyright
© 1997 Cambridge University Press