Microsporidia Division

Welcome to the Microspridia Division

Microsporidia are single-cell obligate parasites of animals and protozoa. Thought for decades to be odd protozoa, the most recent phylogenetic data place them in a basal fungal lineage.

Over 1,000 species of microsporidia have been described from animal and protozoan hosts, the majority from invertebrates. Effects of infection vary from nearly benign to severe, and invertebrate hosts may suffer high mortality or develop chronic infections that may be disseminated in feces and/or passed from female host to their offspring. Studies on microsporidia include host-pathogen interactions and ecology, biological control of pest species, and remediation of disease in beneficial animals.

The Division of Microsporidia seeks to promote interactions among scientists interested in invertebrate microsporidiology and to provide an international organizational catalyst for cooperative research, education, and issues relevant to the study of microsporidia and other invertebrate pathogens.