Helicosporidium

Helicosporidium is a genus of colorless, pathogenic algae in the class Trebouxiophyceae of the green algae. It is a parasite found in the gut of insects, and a close relative of Prototheca.

==History of knowledge== The genus Helicosporidium was first described in England by David Keilin in 1921. He isolated the parasite from the ceratopogonid fly Dasyhelea obscura, and named the species Helicosporidium parasiticum. In 1931, the genus and species names were validated, it was placed in its own order Helicosporidia. In 1970, Helicosporidium was discovered from Argentina infecting a lepidopteran. Helicosporidium infections, although rare, have been discovered around the world and in a diverse range of host organisms.