title: First detection of the microsporidium Enterocytozoon bieneusi in non-mammalian hosts (chickens).
abstract: Faecal samples taken from eight underweight, approximately 5-week-old broiler chickens in a poultry abattoir were investigated for microsporidial infections by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and PCR. In two of six chickens, which were suspected of being infected with microsporidia by light microscopy, Enterocytozoon bieneusi (genotype 'J') was detected by PCR and DNA sequencing, and in one of the two PCR-positive samples by extensive electron microscopy. This is the first time that E. bieneusi has been detected in chickens, i.e. in a non-mammalian species.
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute for Health Protection of Consumers and Veterinary Medicine, Diedersdorfer Weg 1, 12277 Berlin, Germany. j.reetz@bgvv.de
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reetz
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rinder
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thomschke
authors.forename: Heide
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Manke
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwebs
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bruderek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021862:Enterocytozoon / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000662:veterinary; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan