Christen Rune Stensvold

32 posts · 12,221 views

I hold a PhD in Health Sciences and have been working in the field of clinical microbiology for almost 10 years. My research deals with the diagnosis, epidemiology, clinical significance, genetic diversity, and taxonomy of common intestinal 'amoebae' with special emphasis on Blastocystis. Since 2006, I have published more than 50 scientific, peer-reviewed papers, of which 25 or so are Blastocystis-specific papers. I'm based at the Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark and did my post doc at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. F1000 Associate Faculty Member (since 09 December 2009). ORCID # 0000-0002-1417-7048 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blastocystis-Parasite-Blog/161212370703270

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  • June 15, 2013
  • 05:09 AM
  • 63 views

Blastocystis - 'Monsters Inside Me'

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

A blog post on when a documentary turns into fiction - or vice versa!... Read more »

Stensvold CR, Smith HV, Nagel R, Olsen KE, & Traub RJ. (2010) Eradication of Blastocystis carriage with antimicrobials: reality or delusion?. Journal of clinical gastroenterology, 44(2), 85-90. PMID: 19834337  

  • May 25, 2013
  • 09:49 AM
  • 137 views

This Month in Blastocystis Research

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

This Month in Blastocystis Research is a bit meagre, but here's a chance to listen to a 1h related Blastocystis case story podcast...
... Read more »

Sakalar C, Uyar Y, Yürürdurmaz MA, Tokar S, Yeşilkaya H, Gürbüz E, Kuk S, & Yazar S. (2013) [Cloning of Blastocystis sp Subtype 3 Small-subunit Ribosomal DNA]. Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi / Turkiye Parazitoloji Dernegi , 37(1), 13-8. PMID: 23619039  

Ozyurt M, Kurt O, Mølbak K, Nielsen HV, Haznedaroglu T, & Stensvold CR. (2008) Molecular epidemiology of Blastocystis infections in Turkey. Parasitology international, 57(3), 300-6. PMID: 18337161  

  • May 15, 2013
  • 02:42 PM
  • 67 views

Wrap-Up of Cell Symposium on Microbiome and Host Health

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

A short wrap-up of the Cell Symposium on Microbiome and Host Health in Lisbon, Portugal, May 12-14, 2013.... Read more »

Andersen LO, Vedel Nielsen H, & Stensvold CR. (2013) Waiting for the human intestinal Eukaryotome. The ISME journal. PMID: 23407309  

Brown J, de Vos WM, Distefano PS, Doré J, Huttenhower C, Knight R, Lawley TD, Raes J, & Turnbaugh P. (2013) Translating the human microbiome. Nature biotechnology, 31(4), 304-8. PMID: 23563424  

Blaser M, Bork P, Fraser C, Knight R, & Wang J. (2013) The microbiome explored: recent insights and future challenges. Nature reviews. Microbiology, 11(3), 213-7. PMID: 23377500  

  • May 5, 2013
  • 05:57 AM
  • 96 views

More on 'Bugs as Drugs'

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

A follow-up on Carl Zimmer's post in "Phenomena" (National Geographic) on 'Bugs as Drugs'.... Read more »

van Nood E, Vrieze A, Nieuwdorp M, Fuentes S, Zoetendal EG, de Vos WM, Visser CE, Kuijper EJ, Bartelsman JF, Tijssen JG.... (2013) Duodenal infusion of donor feces for recurrent Clostridium difficile. The New England journal of medicine, 368(5), 407-15. PMID: 23323867  

Weinstock JV. (2012) Autoimmunity: The worm returns. Nature, 491(7423), 183-5. PMID: 23135449  

  • April 29, 2013
  • 11:26 AM
  • 116 views

'Invasive Blastocystis' in ECCMID 2013

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

A post on a Blastocystis abstract submitted for oral presentation in the category 'Emerging Infectious Diseases' at the ECCMID 2013 conference in Berlin.... Read more »

Alfellani MA, Stensvold CR, Vidal-Lapiedra A, Onuoha ES, Fagbenro-Beyioku AF, & Clark CG. (2013) Variable geographic distribution of Blastocystis subtypes and its potential implications. Acta tropica, 126(1), 11-8. PMID: 23290980  

Stensvold CR, Suresh GK, Tan KS, Thompson RC, Traub RJ, Viscogliosi E, Yoshikawa H, & Clark CG. (2007) Terminology for Blastocystis subtypes--a consensus. Trends in parasitology, 23(3), 93-6. PMID: 17241816  

  • April 26, 2013
  • 12:47 PM
  • 111 views

This Month In Blastocystis Research

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

The first post in a series of monthly updates on Blastocystis research mainly based on emerging papers in PubMed.... Read more »

Alfellani MA, Stensvold CR, Vidal-Lapiedra A, Onuoha ES, Fagbenro-Beyioku AF, & Clark CG. (2013) Variable geographic distribution of Blastocystis subtypes and its potential implications. Acta tropica, 126(1), 11-8. PMID: 23290980  

Alfellani MA, Jacob AS, Perea NO, Krecek RC, Taner-Mulla D, Verweij JJ, Levecke B, Tannich E, Clark CG, & Stensvold CR. (2013) Diversity and distribution of Blastocystis sp. subtypes in non-human primates. Parasitology, 1-6. PMID: 23561720  

Clark CG, van der Giezen M, Alfellani MA, & Stensvold CR. (2013) Recent developments in blastocystis research. Advances in parasitology, 1-32. PMID: 23548084  

  • April 15, 2013
  • 01:05 PM
  • 111 views

Recent Developments in Blastocystis Research

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

An #openaccess link to a 2013 review in Advances in Parasitology on recent developments in Blastocystis research.... Read more »

Clark CG, van der Giezen M, Alfellani MA, & Stensvold CR. (2013) Recent developments in blastocystis research. Advances in parasitology, 1-32. PMID: 23548084  

  • April 9, 2013
  • 04:55 AM
  • 131 views

Blastocystis in Non-Human Primates

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

A blog post summarising some of the findings in a major molecular epidemiological study of Blastocystis in non-human primates, including apes, Old and New World monkeys, and prosimians.... Read more »

ALFELLANI, M., JACOB, A., PEREA, N., KRECEK, R., TANER-MULLA, D., VERWEIJ, J., LEVECKE, B., TANNICH, E., CLARK, C., & STENSVOLD, C. (2013) Diversity and distribution of Blastocystis sp. subtypes in non-human primates. Parasitology, 1-6. DOI: 10.1017/S0031182013000255  

Stensvold CR, Alfellani M, & Clark CG. (2012) Levels of genetic diversity vary dramatically between Blastocystis subtypes. Infection, genetics and evolution : journal of molecular epidemiology and evolutionary genetics in infectious diseases, 12(2), 263-73. PMID: 22116021  

  • April 3, 2013
  • 12:37 PM
  • 131 views

Blastocystis and IBD

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

We recently published a letter in Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology on prevalence data on Blastocystis and Dientamoeba fragilis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and controls, - here's a small summary.... Read more »

Petersen AM, Stensvold CR, Mirsepasi H, Engberg J, Friis-Møller A, Porsbo LJ, Hammerum AM, Nordgaard-Lassen I, Nielsen HV, & Krogfelt KA. (2013) Active ulcerative colitis associated with low prevalence of Blastocystis and Dientamoeba fragilis infection. Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology. PMID: 23528075  

  • March 21, 2013
  • 04:07 PM
  • 167 views

LUMINEX xMAP Technology in Parasite Diagnostics

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

Over the past few years nucleic acid based methods have revolutionised parasite diagnostics in modern clinical microbiology (CM) labs. Real-time PCR is really gaining a foothold in CM labs, but despite the opportunity for plexing, mostly only up to 6 DNA targets can be included in each assay (due to the number of available channels). LUMINEX xMAP technology is appealing due increasing opportunities but is still limited by probe-based detection.... Read more »

Taniuchi M, Verweij JJ, Sethabutr O, Bodhidatta L, Garcia L, Maro A, Kumburu H, Gratz J, Kibiki G, & Houpt ER. (2011) Multiplex polymerase chain reaction method to detect Cyclospora, Cystoisospora, and Microsporidia in stool samples. Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease, 71(4), 386-90. PMID: 21982218  

  • March 14, 2013
  • 03:48 PM
  • 165 views

Extremophilic Eukaryotes

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

A post on evidence of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacteria in a free-living extremophilic eukaryote with parallels to HGT in anerobic intestinal parasitic protists.... Read more »

Schönknecht G, Chen WH, Ternes CM, Barbier GG, Shrestha RP, Stanke M, Bräutigam A, Baker BJ, Banfield JF, Garavito RM.... (2013) Gene transfer from bacteria and archaea facilitated evolution of an extremophilic eukaryote. Science (New York, N.Y.), 339(6124), 1207-10. PMID: 23471408  

Loftus B, Anderson I, Davies R, Alsmark UC, Samuelson J, Amedeo P, Roncaglia P, Berriman M, Hirt RP, Mann BJ.... (2005) The genome of the protist parasite Entamoeba histolytica. Nature, 433(7028), 865-8. PMID: 15729342  

Denoeud F, Roussel M, Noel B, Wawrzyniak I, Da Silva C, Diogon M, Viscogliosi E, Brochier-Armanet C, Couloux A, Poulain J.... (2011) Genome sequence of the stramenopile Blastocystis, a human anaerobic parasite. Genome biology, 12(3). PMID: 21439036  

  • February 16, 2013
  • 06:00 AM
  • 264 views

Waiting For The Human Intestinal Eukaryotome

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

We address shortcomings of state-of-the-art methodologies used to explore micro-eukaryotic communities and suggest directions for future research.... Read more »

Andersen LO, Vedel Nielsen H, & Stensvold CR. (2013) Waiting for the human intestinal Eukaryotome. The ISME journal. PMID: 23407309  

  • January 14, 2013
  • 11:08 AM
  • 178 views

A Penny For Your Thoughts

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

Multidisciplinary studies are needed to obtain enough information for us to answer central questions about Blastocystis pathogenicity. I suggest a couple of research areas where efforts appear relevant.... Read more »

Denoeud, F., Roussel, M., Noel, B., Wawrzyniak, I., Da Silva, C., Diogon, M., Viscogliosi, E., Brochier-Armanet, C., Couloux, A., Poulain, J.... (2011) Genome sequence of the stramenopile Blastocystis, a human anaerobic parasite. Genome Biology, 12(3). DOI: 10.1186/gb-2011-12-3-r29  

Wawrzyniak, I., Texier, C., Poirier, P., Viscogliosi, E., Tan, K., Delbac, F., & El Alaoui, H. (2012) Characterization of two cysteine proteases secreted by Blastocystis ST7, a human intestinal parasite. Parasitology International, 61(3), 437-442. DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2012.02.007  

  • January 5, 2013
  • 05:01 AM
  • 264 views

Where Are We On Blastocystis Subtypes?

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

Nine subtypes have been found in humans, but some of them only on rare occasions. A recent study going out from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and led by Dr Alfellani and published just now in Acta Tropica looked at 356 Blastocystis sequences from samples from the UK and Libya, but also from sub-Saharan Africa, namely Liberia and Nigeria.... Read more »

  • December 18, 2012
  • 01:41 PM
  • 289 views

Blastocystis Highlights 2012

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

2012 is coming to an end and it is also time for taking stock of the year Blastocystis-wise. ... Read more »

Tsaousis AD, Ollagnier de Choudens S, Gentekaki E, Long S, Gaston D, Stechmann A, Vinella D, Py B, Fontecave M, Barras F.... (2012) Evolution of Fe/S cluster biogenesis in the anaerobic parasite Blastocystis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109(26), 10426-31. PMID: 22699510  

van Hellemond JJ, Molhoek N, Koelewijn R, Wismans PJ, & van Genderen PJ. (2012) Is paromomycin the drug of choice for eradication of Blastocystis in adults?. Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy. PMID: 23053509  

Machicado JD, Marcos LA, Tello R, Canales M, Terashima A, & Gotuzzo E. (2012) Diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in an Amazonic community of Peru using multiple diagnostic techniques. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 106(6), 333-9. PMID: 22515992  

Cañete R, Díaz MM, Avalos García R, Laúd Martinez PM, & Manuel Ponce F. (2012) Intestinal parasites in children from a day care centre in matanzas city, cuba. PloS one, 7(12). PMID: 23236493  

Engsbro AL, & Stensvold CR. (2012) Blastocystis: to treat or not to treat .. But how?. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 55(10), 1431-2. PMID: 22893582  

Stensvold CR. (2012) Thinking Blastocystis out of the box. Trends in parasitology, 28(8), 305. PMID: 22704911  

Forsell J, Granlund M, Stensvold CR, Clark CG, & Evengård B. (2012) Subtype analysis of Blastocystis isolates in Swedish patients. European journal of clinical microbiology , 31(7), 1689-96. PMID: 22350386  

Stensvold CR, Alfellani M, & Clark CG. (2012) Levels of genetic diversity vary dramatically between Blastocystis subtypes. Infection, genetics and evolution : journal of molecular epidemiology and evolutionary genetics in infectious diseases, 12(2), 263-73. PMID: 22116021  

Nagel R, Cuttell L, Stensvold CR, Mills PC, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H, & Traub RJ. (2012) Blastocystis subtypes in symptomatic and asymptomatic family members and pets and response to therapy. Internal medicine journal, 42(11), 1187-95. PMID: 22032439  

  • December 5, 2012
  • 07:53 PM
  • 224 views

My Microbes - Share Your Microbiota!

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

A lot of effort is being put into collecting stool samples from the background population. There is a project called My Microbes, there's the uBiome project and the American Gut Project, just to mention some. For instance, for less than $100 you can have your entire bacterial intestinal microbiome seqeunced and identified. Maybe, you will even get to know your "enterotype"?!... Read more »

Gosalbes, M., Abellan, J., Durbán, A., Pérez-Cobas, A., Latorre, A., & Moya, A. (2012) Metagenomics of human microbiome: beyond 16s rDNA. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 47-49. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2012.03865.x  

Baquero, F., & Nombela, C. (2012) The microbiome as a human organ. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 2-4. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2012.03916.x  

Arumugam, M., Raes, J., Pelletier, E., Le Paslier, D., Yamada, T., Mende, D., Fernandes, G., Tap, J., Bruls, T., Batto, J.... (2011) Enterotypes of the human gut microbiome. Nature, 474(7353), 666-666. DOI: 10.1038/nature10187  

  • November 17, 2012
  • 05:59 AM
  • 337 views

Amelioration of Colitis by Parasites - or "An Elliott & Weinstock Special"

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

Common parasites such as Blastocystis and Dientamoeba fragilis are often incriminated of causing chronic or intermittent diarrhoea or other intestinal symptoms despite the absence of compelling evidence. What most of us probably fail to realise is that parasites may actually prevent and ameliorate intestinal illness, including inflammatory bowel disease, other types of colitis, and other types of autoimmune diseases.... Read more »

Jostins L, Ripke S, Weersma RK, Duerr RH, McGovern DP, Hui KY, Lee JC, Schumm LP, Sharma Y, Anderson CA.... (2012) Host-microbe interactions have shaped the genetic architecture of inflammatory bowel disease. Nature, 491(7422), 119-24. PMID: 23128233  

Elliott, D., & Weinstock, J. (2012) Where are we on worms?. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, 28(6), 551-556. DOI: 10.1097/MOG.0b013e3283572f73  

Weinstock, J. (2012) Autoimmunity: The worm returns. Nature, 491(7423), 183-185. DOI: 10.1038/491183a  

Elliott DE, Summers RW, & Weinstock JV. (2007) Helminths as governors of immune-mediated inflammation. International journal for parasitology, 37(5), 457-64. PMID: 17313951  

  • November 10, 2012
  • 12:31 PM
  • 308 views

How Hard Can It Be?

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

How strange the world of clinical microbiology is when you compare the fields of mycology, parasitology, bacteriology and virology to each other. Such different possibilities, opportunities, limitations, and diagnostic challenges!... Read more »

Stensvold, C., Jørgensen, L., & Arendrup, M. (2012) Azole-Resistant Invasive Aspergillosis: Relationship to Agriculture. Current Fungal Infection Reports, 6(3), 178-191. DOI: 10.1007/s12281-012-0097-7  

Maertens J, Theunissen K, Verhoef G, & Van Eldere J. (2004) False-positive Aspergillus galactomannan antigen test results. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 39(2), 289-90. PMID: 15307045  

Munasinghe VS, Stark D, & Ellis JT. (2012) New advances in the in-vitro culture of Dientamoeba fragilis. Parasitology, 139(7), 864-9. PMID: 22336222  

  • September 2, 2012
  • 02:41 PM
  • 336 views

Bugs Galore!

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

After spending more than 8 years in clinical microbiology with special reference to parasitology, I’ve come to realise that it truly is a bug’s life! Use of nucleic acid-based methods such as PCR in routine clinical microbiology diagnostic labs have revealed that single-celled parasites are colonising the intestine of up to 50% of the Danish population! And so what? Well, this finding has several implications.... Read more »

Stensvold CR. (2012) Thinking Blastocystis out of the box. Trends in parasitology, 28(8), 305. PMID: 22704911  

  • August 18, 2012
  • 08:19 AM
  • 483 views

To Treat or Not To Treat... But How?

by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog

In the "To Treat of Not To Treat" series (please look up previous post here), we have come to the "...But How?" episode.

Blastocystis may be susceptible to a number of drugs - in vitro. In vitro is not the opposite of in vivo. In vitro just means that the test has been done on an organism that has been isolated from its usual habitat and tested e.g. in a flask, test tube, etc. In the lab, strains can be challenged and manipulated in multiple ways, but there is no guarante........ Read more »

Coyle CM, Varughese J, Weiss LM, & Tanowitz HB. (2012) Blastocystis: to treat or not to treat.. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 54(1), 105-10. PMID: 22075794  

Engsbro AL, & Stensvold CR. (2012) Blastocystis: To Treat Or Not To Treat..But How?. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. PMID: 22893582  

Stensvold CR, Smith HV, Nagel R, Olsen KE, & Traub RJ. (2010) Eradication of Blastocystis carriage with antimicrobials: reality or delusion?. Journal of clinical gastroenterology, 44(2), 85-90. PMID: 19834337  

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