Occurrence of microsporidia as emerging pathogens in Slovak Roma children and their impact on public health
Journal Title: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine - Year 2013, Vol 20, Issue 4
Abstract
Introduction and objective: Microsporidia are identified as ubiquitous organisms of almost every animal group and are now recognized as emerging opportunistic pathogens of human. The risk factors include immunodeficiency, lack of sanitation, and exposure to contaminated water and infected animals. In Slovakia, the places with an increased risk of infection due to the presence of risk factors and routes of transmission are represented by Roma settlements. Therefore, the aim of this work was to study the occurrence of [i]Encephalitozoon [/i]spp. and[i] E. bieneusi[/i] in children living in Roma settlements. Materials and methods: Stool samples were examined of 72 clinically healthy children coming from a group of the non-integrated Roma minority for the presence of microsporidia [i]Encephalitozoon[/i] spp. and [i]E. bieneusi.[/i] Microsporidian spores were detected by standard Rylux D, staining and by PCR and DNA sequencing. Results: Of the total number of 72 stool smears examined, 22 were positive, which represented 30.6%. By the Real Time PCR, [i]E. bieneusi [/i]was detected in 3 samples (4.2 %) and E. cuniculi in 19 samples (26.4 %). By comparing the sequences with sequences in the GenBank, E. cuniculi genotype I (Accession No. AJ005581.1) and [i]E. bieneusi[/i] genotype A (Accession No. AF101197.1). Conclusions: Microsporidia, as newly emerging pathogens of humans and animals, are characterised by the production of spores which are environmentally resistant. Diseases caused by them have a cosmopolitan occurrence. Although[i] E. bieneusi[/i] and [i]E. cuniculi[/i] belong to the most frequently diagnosed species of microsporidia in humans, in Slovakia, this is the first confirmed evidence of [i]E. bieneusi[/i] genotype A, as well as [i]E. cuniculi[/i] genotype I in humans by the molecular method.
Authors and Affiliations
Monika Halánová, Alexandra Valenčáková, Beata Malcekova, Martin Kváč, Bohumil Sak, Pavol Bálent, Dana Květoňová, Lýdia Čisláková
Keywords
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