INCIDENTAL FINDING OF MYXOBOLUS SPORES (PROTOZOA, MYXOZOA) IN STOOL SAMPLES FROM PATIENTS WITH GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS

Myxozoan spores were detected in fecal samples from three patients pre senting with abdominal pain and/or diarrhea, The spores were identical to those of Myxobolus plectroplites, a previously described pathogen from the freshwater fish Plectroplites ambiguus. All patients had rece ntly eaten fish caught from local waters, and frozen fillets of such f ish were found to be infected with M. plectroplites cysts. The passage of spores unchanged through the alimentary tract suggests they were i ncidental findings unrelated to clinical symptoms, especially since ot her enteric pathogens were present in two patients.