Cryptosporidium

 Cryptosporidium parvum is a protozoan

parasite causes cryptosporidiosis in
immunodeficient individuals such as those
with AIDS.
 C. parvum

Transmission:

C. parvum transmits through fecal-oral route:

 Food and water
 Animal to person
 Person to person
 C. parvum
 Clinical manifestation:
 In
immunocompetent person: iIlness is
acute but self-limiting, characterized by
profuse, watery diarrhea. Less frequent
symptoms include abdominal cramps,
nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever.
weight loss, malaise, myalgia, weakness,
headache may be present.
 C. parvum

 In immunosuppresed person: illness is

much more severe. Up to 25 L/day of water
loss have been described in
immunosuppresed patients and the
illness may persist indefinitely. Symptom
severity may wax and wane.
 C. parvum

 Laboratory Diagnosis:
Laboratory diagnosis is based on detection
of oocysts directly from stool samples by
modified acid fast staining. Nucleic acid
based techniques (PCR) are also used.