Molecular identification of encephalitozoon hellem in an ostrich

Microsporidia are obligate, intracellular, eukaryotic parasites found in a wide variety of vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Scientific literature co ntains a small number of reports of these parasites in psittacine hosts, an d recently microsporidiosis was reported in the first nonpsittacine host, a n ostrich. DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded ostrich tissues, and a portion of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene was sequenc ed to identify the microsporidian species. The organisms were identified as Encephalitozoon hellem, a parasite species that was first described in imm unocompromised humans and recently reported in three psittacine species.