Isospora belli
(eye-sos-por-a / bell-eye)
Oocyst
Transmission
The most common transmission method is from ingesting contaminated food or water that contains the oocysts. Transmission from anal-oral sexual contact has been reported, though it is not common.
Disease
Isosporiasis
- It is often asymptomatic and self-limiting.
- If symptoms do occur, they can include:
- diarrhea, weight loss, anorexia and abdominal pain
- Have seen an increase in AIDS patients.
Diagnostic
- Laboratory specimens
- stool (oocysts)
- duodenal aspirates
- intestinal biopsy
- Testing
- permanent stains made with modified acid fast stain
- will stain pink
- Entero-test
- Sheather's sugar flotation method
- refractile oocysts will be seen in wet prep
- permanent stains made with modified acid fast stain
Treatment
If the patient is asymptomatic, no treatment is required. When they show serious symptoms, they may be treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Alternate drug choices include metronidazole, tetracycline and pyrimethamine-sulfadiazine.