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Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 Mar;100(10):e24890

Department of Medicine.

Rationale: Cystoisosporiasis is an intestinal infectious disease caused by a coccidian protozoa, Cystoisospora belli (C. belli). It can cause prolonged and refractory diarrhea most commonly in immunocompromised patients, while immunocompetent individuals usually exhibit no symptoms or self-limited diarrhea. Read More

J Parasitol 2021 01;107(1):129-131

Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Casper, Wyoming 82601.

The summer tanager, Piranga rubra (L., 1758) is a medium-sized songbird formerly belonging to the tanager family Thraupidae but now has been placed within the family Cardinalidae. Nothing is known about the coccidian parasites of this stunningly colorful bird. Read More

Parasitol Res 2021 Jan 11;120(1):257-265. Epub 2020 Nov 11.

Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, P.O. Box 71441-69155, Shiraz, Iran.

This study was conducted to investigate the Isosporoid protozoan infections in finch types. Fecal samples were collected from marketed domestic Java sparrows (Lonchura oryzivora), colored and white Zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), and European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) in southern Iran. The coccidial oocysts were recovered and investigated according to the morphological features and the ribosomal gene markers. Read More

Food Waterborne Parasitol 2020 Sep 8;20:e00089. Epub 2020 Sep 8.

Department of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3021, Morogoro, Tanzania.

Waterborne parasitic diseases form one of common and important public health and economic problems in low- and middle-income countries, though little is known on the burden and patterns of these diseases in most regions. This systematic scoping review informs on the prevalence and pattern of waterborne parasitic infections in eastern Africa from 1st of January 1941 to 31st of December 2019. The review found limited number of published studies on waterborne parasitic diseases, though 13 of the 15 studied countries in eastern Africa provided one or more published report(s) totalling 47 reports. Read More

Parasitol Res 2020 Oct 12;119(10):3549-3553. Epub 2020 Aug 12.

School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia.

From a longitudinal survey conducted on 30 Danish mink farms in 2016, 11.0% of faecal samples (456/4140) were positive for Cystoisospora laidlawi oocysts by microscopy, with 60% (189/315) of mink being positive at least once during the study period. Morphological analysis of sporulated oocysts identified Cystoisospora oocysts measuring 34. Read More

J Zoo Wildl Med 2020 Jun;51(2):391-397

Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois, Brookfield, IL 60513, USA.

Systemic isosporosis (formerly atoxoplasmosis), is a protozoal infection that causes death in nestling and fledgling passerine birds impacting ex situ breeding and reintroduction programs. Because current antemortem diagnostic tests lack sensitivity, a qPCR was developed for detection of spp. using primers and a fluorescent-tagged MGB probe targeting the large subunit (28s) ribosomal RNA gene (assay efficiency = >100%; sensitivity = <1 dsDNA copy). Read More

J Parasitol 2020 04;106(2):291-294

Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Casper, Wyoming 82601.

The wood thrush, Hylocichla mustelina, is a North American passerine bird closely related to other thrushes and is widely distributed across North America. Nothing is known of the coccidian parasites of this bird. Feces from a single H. Read More

J Avian Med Surg 2019 Sep;33(3):265-277

International Zoo Veterinary Group, Station House, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD21 4NQ, England.

Based on a review of species mortalities, systemic species was identified as the primary cause of death in 22% (19 of 87) of blue-crowned laughing thrushes (BCLTs; ) at the Jersey Zoo between 1997 and 2016. Fifty-eight percent of the affected birds were between 1 and 2 years old, and in 89% of cases, death occurred between August and December. Abnormal clinical findings in BCLTs with species infections included hepatomegaly and pectoral muscle myositis in 79% of the cases. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2020 Feb 9;22(1):e13237. Epub 2020 Jan 9.

Department of Nephrology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário Lisboa Central, Lisbon, Portugal.

Cystoisospora belli colitis is a rare complication of immunosuppression in solid organ transplant recipients. We describe a case of Cystoisospora belli infection with colitis following renal transplantation. Read More

Parasitol Int 2020 Apr 13;75:102040. Epub 2019 Dec 13.

Departamento de Biologia Animal, ICBS, UFRRJ, BR-465 km 7, 23897-000 Seropédica, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address:

In the current work, Isospora massardi Lopes, Berto, Luz, Galvão, Ferreira & Lopes, [10] is identified from white-necked thrushes Turdus albicollis Vieillot, 1818, rufous-bellied thrushes Turdus rufiventris Vieillot, 1818 and from a new host, the yellow-legged thrush Turdus flavipes (Vieillot, 1818) in a new locality, the Itatiaia National Park, in Southeastern Brazil, providing a preliminary genotypic characterization via sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA genes. The oocysts and sporocysts of I. massardi of the current study are morphologically similar to the original description and are uniform in the proportionality of width on length, but exhibited different patterns of size associated with each host species. Read More

Am J Clin Pathol 2020 01;153(1):88-93

Department of Pathology, University of Florida Health, College of Medicine, Jacksonville.

Objectives: There is recently reported increased prevalence of Isospora organisms in cholecystectomy specimens from immunocompetent patients, especially in acalculous cholecystectomies. We performed an ultrastructural and molecular evaluation of these specimens.

Methods: From 28 gallbladders with intraepithelial inclusions, two specimens with diffuse involvement of the gallbladder epithelium were analyzed by electron microscopy. Read More

Parasitol Res 2019 Oct 30;118(10):3043-3051. Epub 2019 Aug 30.

Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.

Using a combination of morphological and molecular data, we describe a new apicomplexan parasite, Isospora svecica sp. n., from the white-spotted bluethroat, Luscinia svecica cyanecula, from the Czech Republic. Read More

Parasitol Res 2019 Aug 20;118(8):2399-2408. Epub 2019 Jun 20.

College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia.

A new Isospora (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) species is described from an Australian raven (Corvus coronoides) in Western Australia. Sporulated oocysts (n = 21) are ovoid, 21.2 (18. Read More

Acta Parasitol 2019 Sep 11;64(3):617-624. Epub 2019 Jun 11.

Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, BR 465, Km 7, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, 23890-000, Brazil.

Background: The gnateaters Conopophaga spp. are insectivorous passerines commonly observed in high and humid forests, where they remain lodged in thin branches and, sometimes, they fly to the ground to catch insects. The insectivorous feeding habit is related to low prevalence and density of coccidians in passerines; however, several coccidian species are recorded for families of insectivorous passerines. Read More

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2019 May 16;52:e20180204. Epub 2019 May 16.

Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Porto Velho, RO, Brasil.

Cystoisospora belli infection manifests as diarrhea, and can potentially progress to malabsorption in HIV patients. Here, we report a case of C. belli infection in an HIV/AIDS patient with chronic diarrhea symptoms for at least 2 years. Read More

Vet Parasitol 2018 Nov 2;263:34-48. Epub 2018 Oct 2.

United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA. Electronic address:

Until the discovery of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in cat feces in 1970, little was known of coccidiosis in cats. Until 1970, three coccidian parasites based on different sized oocysts were recognized, the parasite with large oocysts (∼40 μm long and called Isospora felis), medium sized oocysts (∼25 μm long, called Isospora rivolta), and small sized oocysts (14 μm or less, called Isospora bigemina) were known and they were considered not host-specific. Later, it was demonstrated that these parasites were host-specific and had also extra-intestinal stages. Read More

Semin Diagn Pathol 2018 Nov 16;35(6):370-380. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Department of Pathology, St. Jude Medical Center, Fullerton, CA 92835, United States. Electronic address:

The alimentary tract serves as host to a large number of diseases. In the non-neoplastic group of disorders, conventional histochemistry continues to play an important diagnostic role. It is particularly important in recognizing specific infectious diseases, such as Helicobacter gastritis, Whipple disease, intestinal tuberculosis and other forms of mycobacteriosis, malakoplakia, intestinal spirochetosis, fungal enteritides, amebiasis, cryptosporidiosis, isosporiasis, and microsporidiosis. Read More

Am J Surg Pathol 2018 10;42(10):1346-1352

Department of Pathology.

Recent publications have described epithelial cytoplasmic vacuoles and inclusions incidentally noted within gallbladder epithelium and concluded that they represent coccidian parasite infection, in particular, Cystoisospora belli. We identified 8 gallbladder specimens from our institution in the past 3 years in which this diagnosis was suggested or in which similar epithelial alterations were prominent. Molecular analysis was performed on the 8 gallbladder specimens and on 3 positive control specimens: small bowel biopsies from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients with diarrhea. Read More

Parasitol Res 2018 Aug 9;117(8):2635-2641. Epub 2018 Jun 9.

Departamento de Biologia Animal, ICBS, UFRRJ, BR-465 Km 7, Seropédica, RJ, 23897-000, Brazil.

In the current study, Isospora sagittulae McQuistion and Capparella, 1992 (Protozoa: Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) is reported from white-shouldered fire-eyes Pyriglena leucoptera (Vieillot, 1818) in the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. To date, this coccidian species was described from antbirds in Ecuador and Brazilian Amazon. In this sense, oocysts and measurements of the description of I. Read More

Vet Parasitol 2018 May 13;255:98-101. Epub 2018 Apr 13.

Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinárias, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address:

Systemic isosporosis, also called atoxoplasmosis or visceral coccidiosis, is a disease that affects birds in general. Pathogenesis of systemic isosporosis and its etiologic agent have not been well characterized, but taxonomically Atoxoplasma is currently considered a junior objective synonym of Isospora. The present report aimed to describe pathological and molecular findings of systemic isosporosis in captive green-winged saltators (Saltator similis) from the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Read More

Parasitol Int 2018 08 3;67(4):413-414. Epub 2018 Apr 3.

"Sapienza" University of Rome, Department of Clinical Medicine, viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.

Ann Diagn Pathol 2018 Apr 10;33:17-22. Epub 2017 Nov 10.

Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Mayor, Santiago de Chile, Chile.

Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol 2018 Feb;17(1):85-93

Pediatric Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Good's syndrome, the adult onset hypogammaglobulinemia associated with thymoma has been explained about six decades ago. It generally presents with recurrent infections and several paraneoplastic syndromes including myasthenia gravis, pure red cell aplasia, connective tissue disorders, superior vena cava, Horner's syndrome, lichen planus and inflammatory bowel disease. Lack of B cell, dysfunction of T cell, CD4+ T cell lymphopenia, reversed CD4/CD8+ T cell ratio, autoantibodies against Th17 related cytokines have been respected as the pathogenesis of the immune dysregulation this syndrome. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 01 9;11(1):28. Epub 2018 Jan 9.

State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China.

Background: Diarrhea caused by opportunistic intestinal protozoa is a common problem in HIV infection. We aimed to establish the prevalence of Cryptosporidium, misrosporidia, and Isospora in HIV-infected people using a systematic review and meta-analysis, which is central to developing public policy and clinical services.

Methods: We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Embase, Chinese Web of Knowledge, Wanfang, and Chongqing VIP databases for studies reporting Cryptosporidium, microsporidia, or Isospora infection in HIV-infected people. Read More

Avian Pathol 2018 Apr 3;47(2):206-212. Epub 2018 Jan 3.

b Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine , University of Tehran , Iran.

Coccidian parasites, especially Isospora, are prevalent parasites in Passeriformes. Isosporan oocysts from common mynahs (Acridotheres tristis) are incompletely described. Detailed knowledge on biology, prevalence, pathogenesis and treatment of avian isosporiasis is scant. Read More

Parasitol Int 2018 Feb 6;67(1):1-3. Epub 2017 Oct 6.

Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble Alpes, CS 10217, Grenoble Cedex 9 38043, France; Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209 - CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble 38700, France. Electronic address:

Cystoisospora belli (previously known as Isospora belli) is a tropical coccidian parasite sometimes leading to severe diarrhea in immunocompromised patients. Here we describe a fatal case of cystoisosporiasis in a non HIV-immunocompromised 71-year-old female with no recent travel history. Infection was either latent or potentially caused by the consumption of contaminated imported food from Asia. Read More

Parasitol Int 2017 Dec 21;66(6):806-809. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Department of Farm Animals, Division of Swine Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.

Cystoisospora (syn. Isospora) suis is the causative agent of neonatal porcine coccidiosis and one of the main causes of diarrhoea in suckling piglets worldwide. Infection with porcine cytomegalovirus (PCMV, Suid herpesvirus 2) causes inclusion body rhinitis in pigs. Read More

Clin Microbiol Infect 2018 Jan 13;24(1):43-44. Epub 2017 Jul 13.

Servicio de Microbiología clínica, Hospital Universitario Dr Peset, Valencia, Spain.

Ghana Med J 2016 Dec;50(4):201-206

Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

Background: Humans can get infected through direct or indirect contact with infective stages of zoonotic parasites shed to the environment through dog faeces.

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the presence of gastrointestinal parasites present in dog faeces shed on the street of Ibadan metropolis, one of the largest cities in Africa.

Methods: Twenty-three locations were randomly selected using grid-sampling method. Read More

Parasitol Int 2017 Oct 8;66(5):588-592. Epub 2017 May 8.

Laboratory of Sustainable Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 232-3 Yomogida, Naruko-Onsen, Osaki, Miyagi 989-6711, Japan. Electronic address:

The domestic pigeon, Columba livia domestica, is reared for meat production, as a pet, or for racing. Few reports have characterized the parasitic protists from the genus Isospora isolated from Columbiformes. We detected Isospora-like oocysts from C. Read More