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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 1998, p. 3332-3335, Vol. 64, No. 9
0099-2240/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Confirmation of the Human-Pathogenic Microsporidia Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon intestinalis, and Vittaforma corneae in Water

Scot E. Dowd,1,* Charles P. Gerba,1,2 and Ian L. Pepper1,2

Department of Microbiology and Immunology1 and Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science,2 University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721

Received 27 March 1998/Accepted 26 June 1998

Microsporidia, as a group, cause a wide range of infections, though two species of microsporidia in particular, Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis, are associated with gastrointestinal disease in humans. To date, the mode of transmission and environmental occurrence of microsporidia have not been elucidated due to lack of sensitive and specific screening methods. The present study was undertaken with recently developed methods to screen several significant water sources. Water concentrates were subjected to community DNA extraction followed by microsporidium-specific PCR amplification, PCR sequencing, and database homology comparison. A total of 14 water concentrates were screened; 7 of these contained human-pathogenic microsporidia. The presence of Encephalitozoon intestinalis was confirmed in tertiary sewage effluent, surface water, and groundwater; the presence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi was confirmed in surface water; and the presence of Vittaforma corneae was confirmed in tertiary effluent. Thus, this study represents the first confirmation, to the species level, of human-pathogenic microsporidia in water, indicating that these human-pathogenic microsporidia may be waterborne pathogens.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: 429 Shantz Bldg., #38, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721. Phone: (520) 626-9284. Fax: (520) 621-1647. E-mail: ScotDowd{at}aol.com.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 1998, p. 3332-3335, Vol. 64, No. 9
0099-2240/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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