Microsporidiosis gastrointestinal: una actualización / Gastrointestinal microsporidiosis: an update

La microsporidiosis es una infección emergente y oportunista producida por microorganismos intracelulares obligados formadores de esporas que han sido taxonómicamente reclasificados como hongos. La eficacia y seguridad de diferentes productos farmacéuticos ha sido evaluada a lo largo de los años, sin embargo, es limitado el arsenal terapéutico del que se dispone a la hora de tratar individuos infectados por esos microorganismos. La actualización necesaria en relación con esta temática, así como la necesidad de un documento de consulta para los estudiantes de pre y post graduación determinó la realización de este trabajo, con el que se pretende ofrecer información actual, pertinente y de calidad que permita una mejor atención a los usuarios del sector salud y mantener el proceso de educación continuada de los profesionales en todos los niveles de atención.

The microsporidiosis is an emergent and opportunist infection produced by spore-forming intracellular microorganisms, recently reclassified by taxonomists as fungi. The efficacy and safety of different pharmaceutical products has been evaluated along the years, however, the therapeutic arsenal is limited when treating infected people. The necessary update on this theme, and the necessity of a consultation document for pre and post graduate students determined the accomplishing of this review, pretending to offer the updated, pertinent and qualitative information that may allows a better medical care to the users of the health sector and maintaining the continued educational process of the professionals at all the public health care levels.

A multiplex PCR assay to diagnose and quantify Nosema infections in honey bees (Apis mellifera).

Correct identification of the microsporidia, Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae, is key to the study and control of Nosema disease of honey bees (Apis mellifera). A rapid DNA extraction method combined with multiplex PCR to amplify the 16S rRNA gene with species-specific primers was compared with a previously published assay requiring spore-germination buffer and a DNA extraction kit. When the spore germination-extraction kit method was used, 10 or more bees were required to detect the pathogens, whereas the new extraction method made it possible to detect the pathogens in single bees. Approx. 4-8 times better detection of N. ceranae was found with the new method compared to the spore germination-extraction kit method. In addition, the time and cost required to process samples was lower with the proposed method compared to using a kit. Using the new DNA extraction method, a spore quantification procedure was developed using a triplex PCR involving co-amplifying the N. apis and N. ceranae 16S rRNA gene with the ribosomal protein gene, RpS5, from the honey bee. The accuracy of this semi-quantitative PCR was determined by comparing the relative band intensities to the number of spores per bee determined by microscopy for 23 samples, and a high correlation (R(2)=0.95) was observed. This method of Nosema spore quantification revealed that spore numbers as low as 100 spores/bee could be detected by PCR. The new semi-quantitative triplex PCR assay is more sensitive, economical, rapid, simple, and reliable than previously published standard PCR-based methods for detection of Nosema and will be useful in laboratories where real-time PCR is not available.