Isospora is a genus of internal in the subclass Coccidia.[ ][ ]
It is responsible for the condition isosporiasis, which causes acute, non-bloody diarrhoea in immunocompromised individuals.
Taxonomy
At least 248 species were originally described in this genus. For instance, the
house sparrow has 12 species of
Isospora.
However, most species are little studied, and some authors doubt whether all should be recognized as distinct species.
In 2005, all former
Isospora species that infect mammalian hosts were reclassified as members of the genus
Cystoisospora, a member of the
Sarcocystidae family.
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