Publisher Summary The term “microsporidia” refers to a group of intracellular parasites
belonging to the phylum Microspora. These eukaryotic obligate intracellular protozoans
have been found infecting every major animal group, especially insects, fish, and mammals.
Microsporidia possess ribosomes with features resembling prokaryotes. Phylogenetic
analysis of the rRNA sequence from several of the microsporidia suggests that these
organisms are the early branches in the eukaryotic evolutionary line. This chapter reviews …