Encephalitozoonosis in the blue fox--morphological identification of the parasite.

Microsporidian organisms causing great losses among young blue foxes (alopex lagopus) were isolated and propagated in monolayer cell cultures and examined by transmission- and scanning electron microscopy. The parasite was found to fulfil the criteria set up for the genus Encephalitozoon and the ultrastructural findings indicated that the parasite was morphologically identical to Encephalitozoon cuniculi previously isolated from some other mammalian species. Terminal vesicles on the extruded polar filaments seen on scanning electron micrographs were discussed to be similar formation as described for the microsporidian Nosema michaelis.