What's Eating You: 12 Common Intestinal Parasites - Medscape

What's Eating You: 12 Common Intestinal Parasites - Medscape

What's Eating You: 12 Common Intestinal Parasites - Medscape

Posted: 25 Nov 2019 12:00 AM PST

Microsporidia

An electron micrograph of Encephalitozoon hellem spores rupturing from a eukaryotic cell is shown above.

Microsporidia are obligate, intracellular, spore-forming parasites.[1] The phylum Microsporidia contains over 1200 fungal species, a large number of which cause infection in humans. Two of the most important species are Encephalitozoon hellem and E intestinalis.[23] Most infections are found in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), organ transplant recipients, people with diabetes, children, and the elderly.[23]

Microsporidiosis occurs through fecal-oral ingestion or inhalation of microsporidial spores via human-to-human or waterborne transmission. Patients with intestinal microsporidiosis may develop chronic, nonbloody diarrhea; weight loss; abdominal pain; nausea; vomiting; and malnourishment.[24] With dissemination, cholecystitis and renal failure, as well as infections of the muscles, brain, and respiratory tract, may occur. In rare cases, patients with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) may develop microsporidial keratoconjunctivitis.[25]

The diagnosis is made via stool microscopy, but this does not allow species identification.[22] Cytologic and histologic examination may also be helpful; additionally, immunofluorescence assays (IFA) and PCR assays are available. Typically, treatment with albendazole for 2-4 weeks is effective for most ocular, intestinal, and disseminated microsporidiosis.[22,25]

Wellness Wednesdays Podcast: A Crash Course in Chlamydia and Gonorrhea - The Daily Athenaeum - thedaonline

Posted: 04 Mar 2020 12:00 AM PST

Join Courtney as she flies solo and talks STIs – specifically chlamydia and gonorrhea. It's a more technical dive as she reviews transmission, symptoms, testing, treatment, and prevention.

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