ABSTRACT

Encephalitozoon spp. are intracellular parasites that exhibit one of the most perfect adaptations to internal parasitism; a reduction of the genome and the presence of transporters allowing them to obtain nutrients from the cells of the host. Classified within the phylum Microsporidia, Encephalitozoon spp. are known as opportunistic pathogens in immunodeficient individuals, including patients after organ transplantation. Initial evidence of Encephalitozoon pathogenicity came from the awareness of their association with clinical diseases in AIDS patients. The most frequently occurring, medically prominent species are Encephalitozoon cuniculi, 1 Encephalitozoon intestinalis, 2 and Encephalitozoon hellem. 3