Human microsporidiosis has been considered a disease of the VIH positive patients or other patients with immunosupression. At present, it is known that microsporidiosis affects not only these patients but also the immunocompetent. The most common species is the Enterocytozoon bieneusi. The present study demonstrates the experimental oral infection of one-month-old piglets with spores of E. bieneusi. Nine piglets from a commercial farm with very low risk of infection by this parasite were used. Two staining techniques were utilized for the diagnosis of the parasite: Tricromic Blue Stain (in fecal samples) and Silver Stain (in intestinal wall). Spores of E. bieneusi were observed in feces and intestinal sections of all animals. The estudy showed that pigs of one month of age are susceptible to the infection with spores of E. bieneusi and therefore, could be considered as experimental model...

La microsporidiosis humana era considerada una enfermedad exclusiva de personas VIH positivas o de pacientes inmunocomprometidos pero actualmente se sabe que afecta, además, a pacientes inmunocompetentes. El microsporidio más común es el Enterocytozoon bieneusi. El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo demostrar la infección experimental de cerdos de un mes de edad con 840 000 esporas de E. bieneusi por vía oral. Se utilizaron nueve lechones procedentes de una granja tecnificada con muy pocas probabilidades de infección a este parásito. Para el diagnóstico del parásito se utilizó la coloración tricrómica (en heces) y la coloración de plata (tejido intestinal). Se logró observar esporas de E. bieneusi en heces y en cortes de intestino de todos los lechones. El trabajo demostró que los cerdos de un mes de edad son susceptibles a la infección con esporas de E. bieneusi y, por ...

The objective of the study was to evaluate an alternative animal model to the use of canines as definitive host and the use of sheep as definitive host of Echinococcus granulosus. Thirty three female Golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were used. In group A, 16 animals of one month of age were orally infected with 3000 viable protoscoleces of E. granulosus; and in group B, 17 animals of 4.5 months of age were intraperitoneal infected with 1500 viable protoscoleces. All protoscoleces were obtained from fertile cysts collected from naturally infected sheep. No adult forms of E. granulosus were recovered from group A, while in group B secondary hydatid cysts were recovered in 9 animals (52.9%) at 2.5, 3.5 and 6.5 months after infection. All recovered cysts were infertile.

The objective of the study was to evaluate an alternative animal model to the use of canines as definitive host and the use of sheep as definitive host of Echinococcus granulosus. Thirty three female Golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were used. In group A, 16 animals of one month of age were orally infected with 3000 viable protoscoleces of E. granulosus; and in group B, 17 animals of 4.5 months of age were intraperitoneal infected with 1500 viable protoscoleces. All protoscoleces were obtained from fertile cysts collected from naturally infected sheep. No adult forms of E. granulosus were recovered from group A, while in group B secondary hydatid cysts were recovered in 9 animals (52.9%) at 2.5, 3.5 and 6.5 months after infection. All recovered cysts were infertile.