from Percoll gradient separations (Fig. 1B), spore size was
1.1 ± 0.2 lm 0.7 ± 0.1 lm (N = 100), while that in HP smears
was 1.1 ± 0.2 lm 0.6 ± 0.2 lm (N = 10). Histologically, spores appeared
as acidophilic structures confined within a vacuole within
the cytoplasm of R (reserve), B (blister) and E (embryonic) cells,
but F (fibrillar) cells (Fig. 1C and D). However, the midgut and hindgut
epithelial cells, or cells of other tissues and organs were unaffected.
Histological sections revealed several developmental stages
of the microsporidian, depicted by differences in the staining of