INTESTINAL MICROSPORIDIOSIS IN AIDS - AN OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTION

Twenty cases of microsporidiosis in AIDS have been studied retrospecti vely. They represent all the cases diagnosed between january 1993 and may 1995 in the Nantes AIDS Reference Center. The cases were identifie d by trichrome staining (Weber) and confirmed by Uvitex 2B (van Cool). Annual incidence was estimated to reach 2.9 % for the whole Reference Center population. Diarrhea in patients was an indication for stool e xamination most of the time. All patients were at stage C of the CDC c lassification. The mean weight loss was 2.56 kg/month. Different treat ment regimens were tested, none of which showed any efficacy. Go-patho gens were present in 5 patients (25 %). This study is indicative of th is pathogen's true incidence in a cohort of non selected patients. It shows the need for further investigations on reservoir and transmissio n course of microsporidiosis.