Effect of Furnagillin on in Vitro Multiplication of Encephalitozoon Cuniculi

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Abstract
E. cuniculi (Levaditi, Nicolau et Schoen) is an obligate intracellular pathogenic parasite of rabbits, carnivores, laboratory rodents and various other mammals. Cell cultures of rabbit and canine cells were infected with rabbit and dog isolates of E. cuniculi. Four days later, 5 .mu.g/ml of fumagillin was introuduced into the culture medium. The multiplication of the parasite was inhibited within 48 h and this effect was maintained as long as the antibiotic remained in the medium. There was no effect when spores and proliferative forms of the parasite were incubated with fumagillin before being used for infecting host cells. No infection occurred if the antibiotic was added to the culture medium before introduction of E. cuniculi. On EM examination, the treated parasites had severe cytoplasmic swelling, vesicular distortion of the plasma membrane and marked reduction in cytoplasmic ribosomes. Fumagillin evidently blocks multiplication of E. cuniculi in vitro. The drug may be useful for the treatment or prevention of spontaneous encephalitozoonosis.

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