Risks to human health from <i>Encephalitozoon</i> and <i>Enterocytozoon</i> carried by wild animals.
2013
Lallo, M. A. | Spadacci-Morena, D. D.
The microsporidia are opportunistic pathogens, obligate intracellular parasites of vertebrates and invertebrates. They have been described in patients with AIDS, transplant recipients, children, travellers, seniors, contact lens wearers and patients with other immunosuppressive conditions. These organisms have long been known to be causative agents of economically important diseases in insects (silkworms and honey bees), fish, birds and mammals (lagomorpha, carnivores, rodents and primates). There are about 1300 species of microsporidia described and of the 14 species of microsporidia currently known to infect humans, <i>Enterocytozoon bieneusi</i> and <i>Encephalitozoon</i> are the most common causes of human infections and are associated with diarrhoea and systemic disease. The microsporidia that infect human beings, in particular, <i>Enterocytozoon</i> and <i>Encephalitozoon</i> are found in domestic and wild animals, and for this reason, the animals may be considered as a source of infection for humans. The waterborne, foodborne and zoonotic transmission have been demonstrated by molecular epidemiology. In this review, we present the most relevant epidemiological aspects of microsporidia simultaneously observed in humans and wildlife, in order to understand the risks from microsporidiosis in wild animals to human health.
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