DETECTION AND SPECIES IDENTIFICATION OF INTESTINAL MICROSPORIDIA BY POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION IN DUODENAL BIOPSIES FROM HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-INFECTED PATIENTS

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for the detection of microspo ridian DNA in duodenal biopsies obtained from 28 human immunodeficienc y virus (HIV)-infected patients with intestinal microsporidiosis. Duod enal biopsies from 23 HIV-infected patients without microsporidiosis s erved as controls. A generic primer set for human microsporidia was us ed at first for the PCR. Amplified products were detected in 26 (93%) of 28 biopsies from patients with intestinal microsporidiosis. All con trol biopsies were negative. Microsporidia species were identified usi ng Southern blot hybridization with specific probes for Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis. This technique confirmed t he transmission electron microscopy-based species identification. Simi lar results were obtained using PCR with species-specific primer sets for E. bieneusi and E. intestinalis. PCR testing of intestinal biopsy specimens can be used successfully for rapid detection and species dif ferentiation of intestinal microsporidia and thus could be a valuable alternative to transmission electron microscopy.