Microsporidiosis and Malnutrition in Children with Persistent Diarrhea, Uganda

Abstract

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an important cause of persistent diarrhea, intestinal malabsorption, and wasting in HIV-positive adults. Mucosal damage associated with microsporidiosis is more extensive than that related to other opportunistic intestinal infections (1,2) and leads to substantial malabsorption of carbohydrates, fat, and essential nutrients (2–5). Although microsporidiosis is common in children <5 years of age, particularly those who live in developing countries (6,7) or who are HIV positive (6,8,9), the effects of infection on nutritional health of these vulnerable populations are not well documented. We reexamined anthropometric data of children in Uganda with persistent diarrhea (6) and used regression analysis to determine whether there is an association between microsporidiosis and reduced growth rates.