Skip to main content
. 2003 Apr;41(4):1410–1413. doi: 10.1128/JCM.41.4.1410-1413.2003

TABLE 1.

E. intestinalis DNA quantitation by real-time PCR in various clinical specimens from 8 E. intestinalis-infected patients, 4 E. bieneusi-infected patients, and 10 patients without microsporidiosis

Patient no.f Cause of immunodeficiency Specimen source(s) Microscopya result MSb PCRc result Real-time PCR result (mean ± SD)
1 HIV infection Stool Presence 3 Positive 4.6 × 105 ± 0.6 × 105/g
2 HIV infection Urine Presence 3 Positive 8.0 × 105 ± 0.0 × 105/ml
3 HIV infection Urine Presence 3 Positive 1.4 × 106 ± 0.0 × 106/ml
Serum NDd ND Positive 1.0 × 102 ± 0.1 × 102/ml
4 HIV infection Urine Presence 2 Positive 1.1 × 103 ± 0.1 × 103/ml
5 HIV infection Stool Presence 2 Positive 1.1 × 104 ± 0.1 × 104/g
6 HIV infection Whole blood Presence 1 Positive 4.6 × 102 ± 0.5 × 102/ml
7 Hodgkin's lymphoma Pleural fluid Absence 0 Negative Negative
Lung biopsy Absence 0 Positive 1.4 × 104 ± 0.1 × 104/g
8 HIV infection Induced sputum Presence 2 Positive 1.6 × 105 ± 0.1 × 105/ml
BALe fluid Presence 2 Positive 1.3 × 105 ± 0.1 × 105/ml
Stool Presence 2 Positive 1.4 × 105 ± 0.1 × 105/ml
Urine Presence 2 Positive 8.3 × 104 ± 0.7 × 104/ml
Whole blood ND ND Negative Negative
9 HIV infection Stool Presence 2 Negative Negative
10 HIV infection Stool Presence 2 Negative Negative
11 HIV infection Stool Presence 3 Negative Negative
12 HIV infection Stool Presence 3 Negative Negative
13-22 None Stools Absence 0 Negative Negative
a

Presence or absence of spores on microscopic examination with Uvitex 2B and Weber's modified trichrome stains (16, 18).

b

MS, microscopy score (semiquantitative assessment of parasitic burden made by using Uvitex 2B-stained slides observed at a magnification of ×1,000: 0 indicated no spore, 1 indicated less than 1 spore per 10 microscopic fields, 2 indicated between 1 spore per 10 fields and 2 spores per field, and 3 indicated more than 2 spores per field).

c

E. intestinalis conventional PCR is described in reference 9.

d

ND, not done.

e

BAL, bronchoalveolar lavage.

f

Patients 1 to 8 (n = 8) were infected with E. intestinalis. Patients 9 to 12 (n = 4) were infected with E. bieneusi. Patients 13 to 22 (n = 10) did not have microsporidiosis.