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Microsporidiosis

Microsporidiosis
Classification and external resources
Specialty infectious disease
ICD-10 B60.8
ICD-9-CM 136.8
DiseasesDB 31870
eMedicine med/1469
MeSH D016881
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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.

Although it is classified as a protozoal disease in ICD-10, their phylogenetic placement has been resolved to be within the Fungi, and some sources classify microsporidiosis as a mycosis, however, they are highly divergent and rapidly evolving.

At least 14 microsporidian species have been recognized as human pathogens, spread across eight genera:

The primary causes are Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis.

(Coded to image at right).

Fumagillin has been used in the treatment.

Another agent used is albendazole.


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