Encephalitozoon cuniculi Genotype II Concentrates in Inflammation Foci

Figures & data

Table 1 Design of Experiments

Group		Total Number of Animals	Days Post-Infection
			7		14		21		28		35		42		49		56		63		70		77		84			91			98
			(Number of Dissected Mice at Particular DPI)
Control^a	BALB/c acute phase	30	3		3		3		3		3		3		3		3		3		3
	BALB/c chronic phase	21															3		3		3		3		3				3		3
	SCID acute phase	12	3		3		3		3
Experimental Group^b	BALB/c acute phase	30	3		3		3		3		3		3		3		3		3		3
	BALB/c chronic phase	21															3		3		3		3		3				3		3
	SCID acute phase	12	3		3		3		3

Notes: ^aPeroral infection 10⁷ spores of E. cuniculi genotype II in 200 µL dH₂O and intramuscular injection of PBS; ^bPeroral infection 10⁷ spores of E. cuniculi genotype II in 200 µL dH₂O and intramuscular injection of Freund’s Incomplete Adjuvant; grey field, intramuscular injection to right hind limb muscle; black field, intramuscular injection to left hind limb muscle.

Figure 1 The presence of inflammation focus in right hind limb of BALB/c mouse (A) and microsporidia detection in histological section of left hind limb muscle of BALB/c mouse 42 days post-infection (B) and right hind limb muscle SCID mouse 21 days post-infection (C) stained with Brown and Brenn Gram stain.

Figure 2 Maximum value of E. cuniculi spores per 1 gram of tissue (number in white fields) and frequency and spore burden of E. cuniculi spores per gram of tissue (colored squares; each square represents one mouse) in the BALB/c mice induced in acute (A) or chronic (B) phase of infection and SCID mice (C). ^aPeroral infection 10⁷ spores of E. cuniculi genotype II in 200 µL dH₂O and intramuscular injection of PBS; ^bPeroral infection 10⁷ spores of E. cuniculi genotype II in 200 µL dH₂O and intramuscular injection of Freund’s Incomplete Adjuvant; grey column – intramuscular injection of all animals in the group into the right thigh muscle; black column – intramuscular injection of all animals in the group into the left thigh muscle; * Significant difference between right and left leg; ^# Significant difference between control and experimental group; colored fields, positive capture of microsporidia in the sample according to the quantity scale.

Figure 3 Encephalitozoon cuniculi DNA detection in feces of BALB/c mice induced in acute (A) or chronic (B) phase of infection and SCID mice (C). ^aPeroral infection 10⁷ spores of E. cuniculi genotype II in 200 µL dH₂O and intramuscular injection of PBS; ^bPeroral infection 10⁷ spores of E. cuniculi genotype II in 200 µL dH₂O and intramuscular injection of Freund’s Incomplete Adjuvant; grey column, intramuscular injection of all animals in the group into the right thigh muscle; black column, intramuscular injection of all animals in the group into the left thigh muscle; black square, positive capture of microsporidial DNA in the sample.