Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Research Institute of Cellular and Molecular Sciences in Infectious Diseases, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
Ann Parasitol. 2022;68(1):87-92. doi: 10.17420/ap6801.412.
Microsporidia belong to the intracellular spore-like pathogen, that can cause infection in invertebrates and vertebrates, including humans. Encephalitozoon spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi, are important causes of chronic diarrhea, especially in patients with HIV/AIDS. Therefore, in this study, modified trichrome staining (MTS) and nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) methods were used for the diagnosis of common intestinal microsporidia in faecal samples of patients with HIV/AIDS in Zahedan, southeastern Iran, for the first time. Stool samples were collected from 50 HIV/AIDS-infected patients with gastrointestinal symptoms whose infections were confirmed by serology test. Prepared smears from each stool sample were stained using the MTS method. Nested PCR was used to amplify 440 bp and 629 bp fragments of 16S rRNA genes in E. bieneusi and Encephalitozoon spp., respectively. Based on the MTS method and the nested PCR, 8 (16%) and 12 (24%) stool samples were positive, respectively. According to the results of nested PCR, eight, three, and one case were infected with E. bieneusi, Encephalitozoon spp., and both of them, respectively. Findings indicated microsporidiosis in HIV/AIDS-infected patients in Zahedan is an important health problem. Therefore, this opportunistic microorganism in HIV/AIDS-infected patients should be diagnosed using sensitive and accurate methods.
微孢子虫属于细胞内孢子样病原体，可感染无脊椎动物和脊椎动物，包括人类。肠微孢子虫属和嗜人隐孢子虫是引起慢性腹泻的重要原因，尤其是在 HIV/AIDS 患者中。因此，本研究首次在伊朗东南部扎黑丹地区的 HIV/AIDS 患者粪便样本中，使用改良三色染色（MTS）和巢式聚合酶链反应（nested PCR）方法诊断常见肠道微孢子虫。收集了 50 名有胃肠道症状的 HIV/AIDS 感染患者的粪便样本，通过血清学检测确认了他们的感染情况。从每份粪便样本制备的涂片均使用 MTS 方法进行染色。巢式 PCR 用于扩增嗜人隐孢子虫和肠微孢子虫属的 16S rRNA 基因的 440bp 和 629bp 片段。根据 MTS 方法和巢式 PCR 的结果，分别有 8（16%）和 12（24%）份粪便样本呈阳性。根据巢式 PCR 的结果，有 8、3 和 1 例患者分别感染了嗜人隐孢子虫、肠微孢子虫属和两者。研究结果表明，微孢子虫病是扎黑丹地区 HIV/AIDS 感染患者的一个重要健康问题。因此，对于 HIV/AIDS 感染患者中的这种机会性微生物，应使用敏感和准确的方法进行诊断。
