BACKGROUND: Microsporidia (Fungi) have been repeatedly identified as the cause of opportunistic infections predominantly in immunodeficient individuals such as AIDS patients. However, the global epidemiology of human microsporidiosis is poorly understood and the ability of microsporidia to survive and multiply in immunocompetent hosts remains unsolved. AIMS: To determine the presence of latent microsporidia infections in apparently healthy humans in the Czech Republic, the authors tested sera, urine and stool originating from fifteen persons within a three month period examined on a weekly basis. METHODS: Sera, stool and urine samples originating from fifteen HIV-negative people at risk with occupational exposure to animals, aged 22-56 years, living in the Czech Republic were tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for the presence of specific anti-microsporidial antibodies, standard Calcofluor M2R staining for the detection of microsporidian spores in all urine sediments and stool smears and molecular methods for the microsporidial species determination. RESULTS: Specific anti-microsporidial antibodies were detected in fourteen individuals, asymptomatic Encephalitozoon spp. infection was found in thirteen and E. bieneusi infection was detected in seven of those examined. While E. hellem 1A and E. cuniculi II were the major causative agents identified, seven different genotypes of E. bieneusi were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: These findings clearly show that exposure to microsporidia is common and chronic microsporidiosis is not linked to any clinical manifestation in healthy population. Moreover, our results indicate much higher incidence of microsporidial infections among an apparently healthy population than previously reported. These results open the question about the potential risk of reactivation of latent microsporidiosis in cases of immunosupression causing life-threatening disease.

• MeSH
• asymptomatické nemoci epidemiologie   MeSH
• barvení a značení metody   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• Encephalitozoon cytologie   imunologie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• feces mikrobiologie   MeSH
• fluorescenční protilátková technika nepřímá MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• longitudinální studie MeSH
• mikroskopie MeSH
• mikrosporidióza diagnóza   epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• moč mikrobiologie   MeSH
• mykologie metody   MeSH
• protilátky fungální krev   MeSH
• sérum mikrobiologie   MeSH
• spory hub cytologie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• protilátky fungální MeSH

In the present population-based study, we determined the prevalences of the most common human-pathogenic microsporidia, Encephalitozoon spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi, in asymptomatic healthy people living in the Czech Republic. A total of 382 males and females (ages, 1 to 84 years) living in the Czech Republic, of whom 265 were Czech nationals and 117 were foreign students, were included in a study testing for the presence of microsporidia by use of coprology and molecular methods. Single-species infections with Enterocytozoon bieneusi or an Encephalitozoon sp. were detected for 9 and 136 individuals, respectively. Moreover, coinfections were detected for 14 individuals. Four genotypes of 3 human-pathogenic Encephalitozoon spp. and 7 E. bieneusi genotypes, including 3 novel genotypes, were detected. Some of these were reported in humans for the first time. The highest prevalence was recorded for individuals older than 50 years and for loose, unformed stool samples. These findings clearly show that exposure to microsporidia is common among immunocompetent people and that microsporidiosis is not linked to any clinical manifestation in healthy populations.

• MeSH
• asymptomatické infekce epidemiologie   MeSH
• DNA fungální chemie   genetika   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• Encephalitozoon klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• encephalitozoonóza epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA fungální MeSH

To determine seropositivity for Enterocytozoon bieneusi in the Czech Republic, we tested 115 serum samples from various groups. We found that 20% from HIV-positive persons, 33% from persons with occupational exposure to animals, and 10% from healthy persons were positive by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Proteins of 32 kDa were detected in serum samples from seropositive persons.

• MeSH
• dárci krve statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• Enterocytozoon * MeSH
• HIV infekce komplikace   epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrosporidióza komplikace   epidemiologie   MeSH
• pracovní expozice statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• séroepidemiologické studie MeSH
• surveillance populace * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH