Detection of Encephalitozoon spp. from human diarrheal stool and farm soil samples in Korea.
Microsporidia are eukaryotic organisms that cause zoonosis and are major opportunistic pathogens in HIV-positive patients. However, there is increasing evidence that these organisms can also cause gastrointestinal and ocular infections in immunocompetent individuals. In Korea, there have been no reports on human infections with microsporidia to date. In the present study, we used real-time PCR and nucleotide sequencing to detect Encephalitozoon intestinalis infection in seven of 139 human diarrheal stool specimens (5%) and Encephalitozoon hellem in three of 34 farm soil samples (8.8%). Genotype analysis of the E. hellem isolates based on the internal transcribed spacer 1 and polar tube protein genes showed that all isolates were genotype 1B. To our knowledge, this is the first report on human E. intestinalis infection in Korea and the first report revealing farm soil samples as a source of E. hellem infection. Because microsporidia are an important public health issue, further large-scale epidemiological studies are warranted.
Department of Environmental and Tropical Medicine & Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Konkuk University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kyungjin
0000-0002-2342-344X
K
Kim
Department of Environmental and Tropical Medicine & Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Konkuk University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Sejoung
0000-0001-6847-1368
S
Yoon
Division of Epidemic Inteligence Service, Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Cheongju, Korea.
Hyeng-Il
0000-0001-9740-886X
HI
Cheun
Department of Environmental and Tropical Medicine & Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Konkuk University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jae-Hwan
0000-0003-3988-8134
JH
Kim
Department of Environmental and Tropical Medicine & Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Konkuk University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Seobo
0000-0001-7884-4754
S
Sim
Department of Environmental and Tropical Medicine & Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Konkuk University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jae-Ran
0000-0003-2695-2854
JR
Yu
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000469:parasitology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000383:Agriculture; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D021901:DNA, Intergenic / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D016819:Encephalitozoon / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016890:Encephalitozoonosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058889:Molecular Typing; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology*; D055815:Young Adult
D021901:DNA, Intergenic; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D005656:Fungal Proteins; C116051:PTP protein, Encephalitozoon hellem; D012987:Soil
Diarrhea; Encephalitozoon hellem; Encephalitozoon intestinalis; Microsporidia; Real-time PCR; Soil