Emerg Infect DiseidEmerging Infectious Diseases1080-60401080-6059Centers for Disease Control92843872627628Research ArticleReevaluating the molecular taxonomy: is human-associated Cyclospora a mammalian Eimeria species?PieniazekN. J.HerwaldtB. L.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.Jul-Sep199733381383

Human-associated Cyclospora is a coccidian parasite that causes diarrheal disease. A reevaluation of the parasite's molecular taxonomy that takes into account newly published data for seven Eimeria species shows that Cyclospora belongs to the Eimeria clade (Eimeriidae family). The Cyclospora branch on the phylogenetic tree is between the branches of the eight avian and two mammalian Eimeria species that have been evaluated to date. Furthermore, preliminary results indicate that Cyclospora and Isospora belli, another coccidian parasite that causes diarrheal disease in humans, belong to different families. To improve our understanding of the taxonomy of human-associated Cyclospora, molecular evaluation of isolates of additional Cyclospora and Eimeria species is needed.