Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 1, 2026

Measuring DNA Damage and Repair in Mouse Splenocytes After Chronic In Vivo Exposure to Very Low Doses of Beta- and Gamma-Radiation
11:24

Measuring DNA Damage and Repair in Mouse Splenocytes After Chronic In Vivo Exposure to Very Low Doses of Beta- and Gamma-Radiation

Published on: July 3, 2015

Effects of gamma radiation on viability of Encephalitozoon spores

X Li1, J M Trout, M C Jenkins

  • 1Animal Waste Pathogen Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350, USA.

The Journal of Parasitology
|August 29, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Gamma irradiation effectively inhibits microsporidia development. Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis showed 100% inhibition, while Encephalitozoon hellem had 97.6% inhibition at specific doses.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Parasitology
  • Radiation Biology

Background:

  • Microsporidia are opportunistic pathogens causing infections in immunocompromised individuals.
  • Encephalitozoon species (E. cuniculi, E. hellem, E. intestinalis) are common causes of microsporidiosis.
  • Foodborne transmission of microsporidia is a public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the efficacy of gamma irradiation in inactivating microsporidia spores.
  • To establish baseline irradiation dose levels for different Encephalitozoon species.

Main Methods:

  • Spores of Encephalitozoon cuniculi, E. hellem, and E. intestinalis were gamma-irradiated at doses ranging from 0 to 3.0 kGy.
  • Irradiated spores were used to inoculate Madin-Darby bovine kidney cell cultures.
  • Infectivity was assessed by examining cultures for developing microsporidia 4 days post-inoculation.

Main Results:

  • Increasing gamma irradiation doses led to a dose-dependent decrease in microsporidia development for all three species.
  • Complete inhibition of Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis development was achieved at 1.5 kGy and 2.0 kGy, respectively.
  • Gamma irradiation at 3.0 kGy resulted in 97.6% inhibition of Encephalitozoon hellem development, but not complete inactivation.

Conclusions:

  • Gamma irradiation is a promising method for inactivating Encephalitozoon species.
  • Specific dose levels are required for effective inactivation, with variations among species.
  • Findings provide a foundation for assessing the safety of food products against microsporidia contamination under various conditions.

More Related Videos

Investigating the Detrimental Effects of Low Pressure Plasma Sterilization on the Survival of Bacillus subtilis Spores Using Live Cell Microscopy10:03

Investigating the Detrimental Effects of Low Pressure Plasma Sterilization on the Survival of Bacillus subtilis Spores Using Live Cell Microscopy

Published on: November 30, 2017

Visualization of Germinosomes and the Inner Membrane in Bacillus subtilis Spores08:58

Visualization of Germinosomes and the Inner Membrane in Bacillus subtilis Spores

Published on: April 15, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Antimicrobial Effectiveness01:28

Antimicrobial Effectiveness

The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
Toxoplasmosis01:28

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
Encephalitis l: Introduction01:19

Encephalitis l: Introduction

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology01:26

Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by direct viral invasion or immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by infections or tumors. Both processes lead to neuronal injury, disrupted neurotransmission, and diverse neurological symptoms, often with overlapping clinical and pathological features.Autoimmune EncephalitisIn autoimmune encephalitis, antibodies target neuronal antigens on cell surfaces, synapses, or within neurons. A key example is anti-NMDAR encephalitis, which can...