Intestinal microsporidiosis: A new entity in Malaysia?
- Author:
A.H. Rukman
;
O. Malina
;
M.I. Noorhayati *
;
M. Marlyn **
;
A. Wan Omar
;
A.M. Roslaini
;
Z. Ngah
;
M. Norhayati *
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Intestinal microsporidia;
Gastrointestinal symptom;
Modified gram-chromotrope stain (MGC);
Diarrhoea;
Loose or watery stool
- MeSH:
Feces;
symptoms <1>;
Prevalence aspects;
Intestinal microsporidiosis;
Clinical
- From:Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences
2008;4(2):11-24
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:Malay
-
Abstract:
Intestinal microsporidia is an emerging human disease caused by microsporidia. A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of microsporidia in patients with gastro-intestinal symptoms and to examine the clinical manifestations associated with intestinal microsporidiosis. A descriptive cross-sectional study using a well-structured questionnaire; a review of medical records was also undertaken. Positive stool samples were defined as presence of one or more pinkish-violet ovoid structures with a belt-like stripe under high power field (100x) using modified gram-chromotrope stain (MGC). A total of 353 faecal specimens of patients was examined and 100 patients were found to have positive stool samples for microsporidia. The overall prevalence of microsporidia was 28.3%. Acute and chronic diarrhoea were seen in 49.0% and 36.0% patients, respectively. The commonest clinical presentations were diarrhoea (85.0%) with 83.0% of patients having loose or watery stools, vomiting (75.0%), foul-smelling stools (60.0%), nausea (59.0%) and cramping abdominal pain (39.0%). The least common symptoms were fever (15.0%), mucous in stool (5.0%) and blood in stool (4.0%). This study concludes that the prevalence of microsporidia is still high (28.3%) and the majority of patients (93.0%) are symptomatic; the most common gastro-intestinal symptom is diarrhoea with loose or watery stools. Hence, it is recommended that a stool screening for microsporidia be done in selected patients presented with gastrointestinal symptoms.
