Elizabeth Didier
research scientist and professor

Department(s):
Tropical Medicine

Email:
esdnda@tulane.edu

Research Interests:
Immunology; pathogenesis; drug discovery for microsporidiosis in murine and non-human primate models

Educational Background:
Post-doctoral, New York University Medical Center, New York, New York
PhD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
MS, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky
BS, Denison University, Granville, Ohio

Publications:
Schmidt, E.C., and J.A. Shadduck. 1983. Murine encephalitozoonosis model for studying the host?parasite relationship of a chronic infection. Infect. Immun. 40:936?942.

Schmidt, E.C., and J.A. Shadduck. 1984. Mechanisms of resistance to the intracellular protozoan parasite, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, in mice. J. Immunol. 133:2712?2719.

Didier, E.S., P.J. Didier, D.N. Friedberg, S.A. Stenson, J. M. Orenstein, R.W. Yee, F.O. Tio, R.M. Davis, C. Vossbrinck, N. Millichamp, and J.A. Shadduck. 1991. Isolation and characterization of a new microsporidian, Encephalitozoon hellem (n.sp.) from three AIDS patients with keratoconjunctivitis. J. Infect. Dis. 163:617-621.

Didier, E.S., D.P. Kotler, D.T. Dieterich, J.M. Orenstein, A.M. Aldras, R. Davis, D.N. Friedberg, W.K. Gourley, R. Lembach, C.Y. Lowder, D.M. Meisler, I. Rutherford, R.W. Yee, and J.A. Shadduck. 1993. Serological studies in human microsporidia infections. AIDS 7:S8-S11.

Didier, E.S. and J.A. Shadduck. 1994. IFN-( and LPS induce murine macrophages to kill Encephalitozoon cuniculi in vitro. J. Euk. Microbiol. 41:34S.

Didier, E.S., P.W. Varner, P.J. Didier, A.M. Aldras, N.J. Millichamp, M. Murphey-Corb, R. Bohm, and J.A. Shadduck. 1994. Experimental microsporidiosis in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice and monkeys. Folia Parasitol. 41:1-11.

Hartskeerl, R.A., T. Van Gool, A.R.J. Schuitema, E.S. Didier, and W.J. Terpstra. 1995. Genetic and immunological characterization of the microsporidian Septata intestinalis Cali, Kotler, and Orenstein, 1993; reclassification to Encephalitozoon intestinalis. Parasitology 110:277-285.

Didier, E.S., C.R. Vossbrinck, M. Baker, L.B. Rogers, D.C. Bertucci, and J.A. Shadduck. 1995. Identification and characterization of three Encephalitozoon cuniculi strains. Parasitology 111:411-422.

Didier, E.S. 1995. Reactive nitrogen intermediates implicated in the inhibition of Encephalitozoon cuniculi (Phylum Microspora) replication in murine peritoneal macrophages. Parasite Immunol. 17(8):405-412.

Didier, E.S., J.M. Orenstein, A.M. Aldras, D.C. Bertucci, L.B. Rogers, and F.A. Janney. 1995. Comparison of three staining methods for detecting microsporidia in fluids. J. Clin. Microbiol. 33:3138-3145.

Clarke, M.R., R.M. Harrison, and E.S. Didier. 1996. Behavioral, immunological, and hormonal responses associated with social change in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Amer. J. Primatol. 39:223-233.

Mertens, R.B., E.S. Didier, M.C. Fishbein, D.C. Bertucci, L.B. Rogers, and J.M. Orenstein. 1997. Disseminated Encephalitozoon cuniculi microsporidiosis in an AIDS patient: report of a case with brain, heart, kidneys, trachea,
adrenals, urinary bladder, spleen, and lymph node involvement. Mod. Pathol. 10:68-77.

Orenstein, J.M., H.P. Gaetz, A.T. Yachnis, S.S. Frankel, R.B. Mertens, and E.S. Didier. 1997. Disseminated microsporidiosis in AIDS: Are any organs left? AIDS 11:385-386.

Black, S.S., L.A. Steinohrt, D.C. Bertucci, L.B. Rogers, and E.S. Didier. 1997. Encephalitozoon hellem in Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). Vet. Pathol. 34:189-198.

Didier, E.S. 1997. Effects of Albendazole, Fumagillin, and TNP-470 on microsporidia replication in vitro. Antimicrobiol. Ag. Chemother. 41:1541-1546.

Didier, E.S., J.A. Maddry, C.D. Kwong, L.C. Green, and J.A. Shadduck. 1998. Screening of compounds for antimicrosporidial activity in vitro. Folia Parasitol. 45:129-139.

Boldorini, R., G. Monga, A. Tosoni, E.S. Didier, and J.M. Orenstein. 1998. Renal Encephalitozoon intestinalis infection in a patient with AIDS: Post-mortem identification by means of transmission electron microscopy and PCR. Virch. Arch. 432:535-539.

Didier, E.S., K.A. Snowden, J.A. Shadduck. 1998. The biology of Microsporidian species infecting mammals. Adv. Parasitol. 40:279-316.

Didier, E.S. 1998. Microsporidiosis. Clin. Infect. Dis. 27:1-7.

Wasson, K., K. Snowden, E.S. Didier, J.A. Shadduck, and H.B. Gelberg. 1999. Rabbit intestinal xenograft model for human Encephalitozoon infections in mice. Lab. Anim. Sci. 49:189-196.

Green, L.C., P.J. Didier, and E.S. Didier. 1999. Fractionation of sporogonial stages of the microsporidian Encephalitzoon cuniculi by Percoll gradients. J. Euk. Microbiol. 46:434-438.

Snowden, K., K. Logan, and E.S. Didier. 1999. Encephalitozoon cuniculi strain III is a cause of encephalitozoonosis in both man and dogs. J. Infect. Dis. 180:2086-2088.
Dascomb, K., R. Clark, J. Aberg, R. Hewitt, J. Pulvirenti, P. Kissinger, and E.S. Didier. 1999. Natural History of intestinal microsporidiosis among patients with the human immunodeficiency virus. J. Clin. Microbiol. 37:3421-3422.

Kopicko, J.J., T. Frazer, K. Dascomb, R.Clark, E.S. Didier and P. Kissinger. 1999. The influence of seasonal variation with enteric microsporidiosis among HIV-infected individuals. J. AIDS 22:408-409.

Soave, R. and E.S. Didier. 1999. Cryptosporidium and Microsporidium. In: Textbook of AIDS Medicine (2nd ed.). T.C. Merigan, J.G. Bartlett, and D. Bolognesi (eds.). Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, MD. pp. 327-356.

Didier, E.S. and G.T. Bessinger. 1999. Host-parasite relationships in microsporidiosis: animal models and immunology. In:The Microsporidia and Microsporidiosis. M. Wittner and L.M. Weiss (eds.). American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C. pp. 225-257.

Didier, E.S. 2000. Immunology of Microsporidiosis. In: Contributions to Microbiology. F. Petry (ed). S. Karger AG, Basel, Switzerland 6:193-208.

Didier, E.S., P.J. Didier, K.F. Snowden, J.A. Shadduck. 2000. Microsporidiosis in Mammals. Microbes Infect. 6:1-12.

Green, L.C., P.J. LeBlanc, and E.S. Didier. 2000. Discrimination between viable and dead Encephalitozoon cuniculi (microsporidia) spores by dual staining with Sytox Green and Calcofluor White M2R. J. Clin. Microbiol. 38:3811-3814.

Fedorko, D.P., N.A. Nelson, E.S. Didier, D.C. Bertucci, R.M. Delgado, and A.M. Hruskewycz. 2001. Speciation of human microsporidia by PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism. Amer. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 65:397-401.

Dascomb, K., T. Frazer, R. Clark, P. Kissinger, and E.S. Didier. 2001. Microsporidiosis and HIV. J. Acquir. Immune Defic. Syndr. 24:290-292.

Didier, E.S., D.C. Bertucci, L.C. Green, M.E. Stovall, and P.J. Didier. 2001. Encephalitozoon cuniculi infection in mice with the chronic granulomatous disease disorder. J. Euk. Microbiol. 48:79-80S.

Mittleider, D., L.C. Green, V.H. Mann, S.F. Michael, E.S. Didier, and P.J. Brindley. 2002. Sequence survey of the genome of the opportunistic microsporidian pathogen, Vittaforma corneae. J. Euk. Microbiol. 49:393-401.

Didier, E.S., M.E. Stovall, A.D. Martin, X. Alvarez, L.C. Bowers, P.F. Brindley, A. Plauche, P.J. Didier. 2003. Methionine aminopeptidase 2 expression in microsporidia. J. Euk. Microbiol. 50:569-571.

Sestak, K., C.K. Merritt, J. Borda, E. Saylor, S. Schwamberger, F. Cogswell, E.S. Didier, P.J. Didier, G. Plauche, R.P. Bohm, P.P. Aye, P. Alexa, R.L. Ward, A.A. Lackner. 2003. Infectious agent and immune response characteristics of chronic enterocolitis in captive rhesus macaques. Infect. Immun. 71:4079-4086.

Teachey, D.T., P. Russo, J.M. Orenstein, E.S. Didier, L.C. Bowers, and N. Bunin. 2004. Pulmonary infection with microsporidia after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant. 33:1-4.

Green, L.C., P.J. Didier, and E.S. Didier. 2004. Natural and experimental infection of immunocompromised rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with the microsporidian, Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotype D. Microbes Infect. 6:996-1002.

Khan, I.A., and E.S. Didier. 2004. Insights into the immune responses to microsporidia. In: World Class Parasites. D.S. Lindsay and L.M. Weiss (eds vol 9). Kluwer Acad. Pubs, Boston, MA. Pp 135-157.

Didier, E.S., C.R. Vossbrinck, M.E. Stovall, L.C. Green, L.C. Bowers, A. Fredenburg, and P.J. Didier. 2004. Diagnosis and epidemiology of human microsporidia infections. S.E. Asian J. Trop. Med. Pub. Hlth 35 (suppl 1):1-20.

Didier, E.S., M.E. Stovall, L.C. Green, P.J. Brindley, K.Sestak, and P.J. Didier. 2004. Epidemiology of microsporidiosis: sources and modes of transmission. Vet. Parasitol. 126:145-166.

Sheoran, A.B., X. Feng, S. Kitaka, F. Najjuka, G. Ndeezi, L.C. Green, C. Pearson, E.S. Didier, S. Chapman, H. Mayanja,
J.K. Tumwine, S. Tzipori. 2004. Purification of Enterocytozoon bieneusi from AIDS patients and production of specific
polyclonal antibodies. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43:387-392.

Pandrea, I. D. Mittleider, P.J. Brindely, E.S. Didier, D.L. Robertson. 2005. Phylogenetic relationship of methionine aminopeptidase 2 among Encephalitozoon species and genotypes of microsporidia. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. (in press).

Didier, E.S., L. Bowers, M.E. Stovall, D. Kuebler, D. Mittleider, P.J. Brindley, and P.J. Didier. 2005 Antimicrosporidial activity of (fluoro)quionolones in vitro and in vivo. Folia Parasitol. (in press).

Didier, E.S. 2005. Microsporidiosis: An emerging and opportunistic infection in humans and animals. Acta Trop. (In press)

Research Projects Ongoing or Completed During the Last 3 Years:
Past:
“Detection of Human Pathogenic Microsporidia in Water”
Principal Investigator – Charles R. Vossbrinck, Ph.D. (Co.I. - Elizabeth S. Didier, Ph.D.)
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Type: Contract number 82772101; Period: Nov. 10, 1999 – Nov. 9, 2003.
The purpose of this study is to develop and employ an immunomagnetic bead separation method to recover microsporidia from water sources and identify the species recovered.

“Generation of Reagents for E. bieneusi Genome Sequencing”
Principal Investigator – Saul Tzipori, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Consultant – Elizabeth S. Didier, Ph.D.)
Agency: National Institue of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Type: R21-AI052792; Period: August 15, 2002 – July 31, 2004.
The purpose of this study is to purify sufficient numbers of E. bieneusi spores to generate reagents (antibodies) for further collections large numbers of E. bieneusi spores to generate genomic libraries for genome sequencing.

“Preclinical Evaluations of Therapies for Microsporidia Infections”
Principal Investigator – Elizabeth S. Didier, Ph.D.
Agency: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Type: NO1-AI75327; Period: Sept. 15, 1997 – Sept. 14, 2004.
The purpose of this contract is to develop in vitro and in vivo models for microsporidia to evaluate test compounds for antimicrosporidial activity.

Contact Information:
1440 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone: 504.988.6249
Fax: 504.988.7313
Email: esdnda@tulane.edu

Level of Instruction:
Graduate