Isospora belli infections.
I. belli is common in tropical and subtropical environments. Sporadic outbreaks have occurred in mental institutions and in day-care centers in the United States. The infection is common in immunosuppressed patients, particularly those with AIDS living in tropical areas. Transmission probably occurs by the fecal-oral route. Chronic diarrhea is the major clinical manifestation. The pathophysiology of I. belli-induced diarrhea is unknown. Laboratory diagnosis is readily performed with the examination of unstained and stained stool specimens particularly by the modified Ziehl-Nielsen method. I. belli infection responds promptly to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole therapy and recurrent disease can be prevented with either trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine.
Pape
J W
JW
Johnson
W D
WD
D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007549:Isospora / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*