Protothecosis refers to disease of humans and animals caused by infection with fungus-like, colourless microalgae of the genus Prototheca. Although protothecosis remains an uncommon infection, increasing numbers of human and animal cases are being diagnosed worldwide. This review summarises major new findings in basic science (sequencing analyses of sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51/ERG11) genes and organelle genomes of Prototheca wickerhamii) to elucidate taxonomic features of this pathogen. Furthermore, this review updates and summarises the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of protothecosis in dogs and cats. This content of this review is based on information presented at the medical phycology symposium held in the 20th Congress of the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (https://www.isham.org/).

Protothecosis 是指由Prototheca属真菌样、无色微藻感染引起的人类和动物疾病。尽管原虫病仍然是一种不常见的感染，但世界范围内诊断出越来越多的人类和动物病例。这篇综述总结了基础科学的主要新发现（甾醇 14 α-脱甲基酶( CYP51/ERG11 ) 基因和Prototheca wickerhamii细胞器基因组的测序分析）) 阐明该病原体的分类学特征。此外，本综述更新和总结了犬猫原虫病的临床特征、诊断和治疗。本综述的内容基于在第 20 届国际人类和动物真菌学学会 (https://www.isham.org/) 举行的医学藻类研讨会上提供的信息。