Isolation of a Protozoan Parasite Genetically Related to the Insect Trypanosomatid Herpetomonas samuelpessoai from a Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Patient

Severely immunocompromised human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients can develop various opportunistic infections due to bacteria, viruses, fungi, or protozoa. Here we report the first isolation of a flagellated protozoan genetically closely related to Herpetomonas samuelpessoai, which is usually a parasite of insects, from the blood of an HIV-infected patient.