Microsporidiosis

Microsporidiosis is an opportunistic intestinal infection that causes diarrhea and wasting in immunocompromised individuals (HIV, for example). It results from different species of microsporidia, a group of microbial (unicellular) fungi.

In HIV-infected individuals, microsporidiosis generally occurs when CD4+ T cell counts fall below 150.

Microsporidia have emerged with significant mortality risk in immunocompromised individuals. These are small, single-celled, obligately intracellular parasites linked to water sources as well as wild, and domestic animals. They were once considered protozoans or protists, but are now known to be fungi, or a sister group to fungi. The most common causes of microsporidiosis is Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis.