Wildlife as an environmental reservoir of Enterocytozoon bieneusi (Microsporidia) – analyses of data based on molecular methods

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the most commonly identified Microsporidia in humans and has also been detected worldwide in a large group of wild living and domestic animals. The identification of E. bieneusi in wildlife has raised the question of the importance of animal reservoirs in the epidemiology of microsporidiosis and the implications of the infection with this pathogen in hosts. This review summarizes the available molecular data on the variety of E. bieneusi genotypes, both potentially zoonotic and host-specific isolated from wild living mammals and birds. In contrast to microsporidial infections of humans and domestic animals, wildlife deserves attention as a source of significant environmental reservoir of E. bieneusi.