Diagnostic evaluation reveals rapid stool-based nested PCR detects low microsporidian spore counts, suggesting improved parasite detection in immunocompromised patients.
Microsporidia are recognized as a major aetiological agent in chronic diarrhoea of immunocompromised patients. Their detection by light microscopy is hampered by the small size of the spores. A simple and rapid DNA extraction method has been developed for the detection of microsporidian DNA by PCR directly from stool specimens. It can be performed at room temperature in a 1.5-ml microcentrifuge tube format in less than 1 hour. The subsequent nested polymerase chain reaction permits the detection of 3-100 spores in a 0.1-g stool sample. The amplification products can be verified and the species Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Encephalitozoon (Septata) intestinalis distinguished by a simple restriction endonuclease digest.
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Katzwinkel‐Wladarsch et al. (1996) studied this question.
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