DIARRHEA DUE TO MICROSPORIDIA IN AIDS

A 26-year-old male AIDS patient with diarrhea of two-months evolution is reported here. The most relevant intestinal pathogens, including Cr yptosporidium parvum, were ruled out by routine microbiological tests. Stool samples stained with an <<oblong>> Ziehl-Neelsen method (fucsin , 7 min instead of 3 min) allowed visualization of organisms resemblin g microsporidia. Both modified trichrome and calcofluor stains showed organisms compatible with Enterocytozoon bieneusi. Significant titer o f antibodies (greater than or equal to 1/800) against 4 different micr osporidial species were obtained from the serum of the patient by an E LISA test. Clinical improvement was observed after treatment with albe ndazole, 400 mg twice daily for 4 weeks, even though microsporidial sp ores were still detected in stool specimens. To our knowledge, this is the first microsporidial infection reported in Argentina.