MICROSPORIDIA IN DUODENAL BIOPSIES FROM 72 HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS WITHABDOMINAL COMPLAINTS

In order to evaluate the capacity of routine histological examination to detect microsporidiosis, a retrospective study was performed on 72 duodenal biopsies from 72 HIV-infected patients with upper abdominal s ymptoms of unknown cause. Two light microscopic cytological staining t echniques, modified trichrome stain and the fluorochrome Calcofluor, w ere used. Two cases of microsporidiosis were detected among the 20 pat ients with prolonged diarrhoea of unknown origin in whom no etiologica l agent had been demonstrated by stool examination, mycobacterial and cytomegalovirus culture of biopsies, and histological routine staining of duodenal biopsies. The calculated confidence interval of 3-30% cor responds to the prevalence of intestinal microsporidiosis in HIV patie nts with prolonged diarrhoea in various parts of the world. The findin gs motivate attempts to identify microsporidia using special cytologic al staining methods. Improved methods of species identification are ne eded to aid in the choice of chemotherapy.