title: Electron microscopic changes in Enterocytozoon bieneusi following treatment with albendazole.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify and describe electron microscopic changes occurring in Enterocytozoon bieneusi in patients treated with albendazole.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen HIV seropositive patients with E bieneusi infection of the small intestine were treated with albendazole 400 mg twice a day for one month. Duodenal biopsy specimens obtained before and at the end of treatment were examined electron microscopically by a pathologist who was unaware of the clinical response. A semiquantitative assessment of the parasite load and description of the parasite morphology was made.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A complete resolution of diarrhoea occurred in nine patients and a further three had a greater than 50% reduction in baseline stool frequency or volume. Three of the non-responders were also infected with cryptosporidium. There was a reduction in parasite load in those responding to treatment and an increase in abnormal forms in both responders and non-responders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical response to albendazole treatment seen in some patients with small intestine microsporidiosis may be due to damage to the developmental stages, causing a partial inhibition of parasite reproduction.
authors.affiliation: HIV/Genitourinary Medicine Department, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blanshard
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Dowell
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tovey
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Gazzard
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D016816:Microsporida / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D015766:Albendazole