Saturday, October 15, 2011

Microsporidia

Microspiridia is a phylum of spore forming unicellular parasites. Microsporidia is special fungi that infected just to animals as host. Mostly as the host of this fungi is insects, but this fungi also as the source problem on the fish disease like crustaceans. Several species, most of which are opportunistic, also infect to human.Approximately 10 percent of the species are parasites of vertebrates, including in humans.

Microsporidia produce highly resistant spores to survive outside the host for up to several years. Spore of most species are oral or pyriform, but rod shaped or spherical spores are not usual. The spore is protected by wall that consist of three layers:

  • Outer layer as electron dense exospore
  • A median layer, wide and seemingly structureless endospore, contain of chitin
  • A thin internal layer as plasma membrane

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