Prevalence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in swine: an 18-month survey at a slaughterhouse in Massachusetts.
Slaughterhouse pig samples were analyzed by PCR for Enterocytozoon bieneusi infection. Thirty-two percent were found to be positive, with rates being higher over the summer months. Three isolates from pigs were identical in their ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence to human E. bieneusi type D, two were identical to type F (from a pig), and nine were previously unreported. The viability of these spores was demonstrated by their ability to infect gnotobiotic piglets. The presence of the infection in liver was shown by in situ hybridization.
Buckholt
Michael A
MA
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, Massachusetts 01536, USA.
Lee
John H
JH
Tzipori
Saul
S
D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000032:analysis; D003625:Data Collection; D021862:Enterocytozoon / Q000235:genetics; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*
D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer