Isospora

A genus of coccidia whose species are parasitic chiefly in mammals and include a species capable of causing a mucous diarrhea, anorexia, nausea, and abdominal pain in humans.

A genus of apicomplexan parasites in the family Eimeriidae found mainly in dogs and cats. These protozoa develop intracellularly in the cells of the intestinal epithelium and some of them are associated with attacks of diarrhea. Includes I. almaataensis (pigs), I. bahiensis (dogs), I. bigemina (Cystoisospora burrowsi), I. burrowsi (C. burrowsi), I. buteonis (raptor birds), I. canis (C. canis), I. felis (C. felis), I. heydoni (C. heydoni), I. neorivolta (dog), I. ohioensis (C. ohioensis), I. ratti (rats), I. rivolta (C. rivolta), I. suis (pigs), I. wallacei (Besnoitia wallacei).

Isospora felis unsporulated oocyst (left) and sporulated oocyst (right). By permission from Bowman DD, Georgis' Parasitology for Veterinarians 8E, Saunders, 2002