Diagnosis of Encephalitozoon cuniculi infection by western blot and the use of cross-reactive antigens for the possible detection of microsporidiosis in humans.
Microsporidia are very primitive, eukaryotic, obligate, intracellular, protozoan parasites. Encephalitozoon cuniculi, a microsporidian originally described from a rabbit infection, has been described in humans as well as in many species of laboratory animals. We report the detection of E. cuniculi by Western blotting in a rabbit with torticollis that was obtained from an Encephalitozoon-free colony. Cross-reactivity of this serum was observed with antigens prepared from several genera of microsporidia. Identical Western blotting patterns were obtained with sera obtained from a rabbit immunized with E. cuniculi that was purified from tissue culture cells. In addition, we were able to demonstrate cross-reactivity between E. cuniculi rabbit antisera and Enterocytozoon bieneusi antigens by indirect immunofluorescent assay techniques in human intestinal biopsy samples. These cross-reactions between microsporidia may be useful in developing diagnostic tests for non-cultivatable microsporidia such as Enterocytozoon bieneusi.
Weiss
L M
LM
Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
Cali
A
A
Levee
E
E
LaPlace
D
D
Tanowitz
H
H
Simon
D
D
Wittner
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003429:Cross Reactions; D016819:Encephalitozoon / Q000276:immunology; D009670:Encephalitozoon cuniculi / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016890:Encephalitozoonosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology; D016816:Microsporida / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011817:Rabbits
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D007106:Immune Sera