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Cryptosporidiosis
Published in Charles Theisler, Adjuvant Medical Care, 2023
Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite that affects the distal small intestine and causes the diarrheal disease cryptosporidiosis. It is acquired by drinking contaminated water, swimming or wading in contaminated recreational water sources (i.e., pools, waterparks, lakes), eating contaminated food, or contact with infected animals. Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of waterborne disease among humans in the U.S.
Cryptosporidium spp
Published in Peter D. Walzer, Robert M. Genta, Parasitic Infections in the Compromised Host, 2020
The major factor determining the severity and duration of a Cryptosporidium infection appears to be the immune status of the host. Discontinuing immunosuppressive chemotherapy, allowing restoration of the immune function, has resulted in clearance of cryptosporidiosis from the intestinal tract of several patients (4,118,119). These findings suggest that immunomodulation or passive transfer of antibodies or lymphocytes may be of value in the treatment of cryptosporidiosis in immunodeficient patients.
Cryptosporidium and Bile Duct Injury
Published in Gianfranco Alpini, Domenico Alvaro, Marco Marzioni, Gene LeSage, Nicholas LaRusso, The Pathophysiology of Biliary Epithelia, 2020
Xian-Ming Chen, Nicholas F. LaRusso
Cryptosporidium is now an established cause of acute and chronic diarrhea in humans. However, the duration and severity of clinical symptoms depends largely upon the immune status of the infected individual (Table 2).2 Cryptosporidiosis in the otherwise healthy individuals is usually a self-limited illness of 9–15 days.27 The most common clinical manifestation is profuse watery diarrhea, containing mucus, but rarely blood or leukocytes. Watery diarrhea is commonly associated with a variety of other symptoms including nausea, vomiting, cramp-like abdominal pain and mild fever. Three major presentations of cryptosporidiosis in immunocompetent individuals have been identified: asymptomatic carriage;acute diarrhea; andpersistent diarrhea.27
Cryptosporidiosis in Finland is predominantly of domestic origin: investigation of increased reporting, 1995–2020
Published in Infectious Diseases, 2023
Kristiina A. Suominen, Marit Björkstrand, Jukka Ollgren, Tiina J. Autio, Ruska Rimhanen-Finne
In addition to causing foodborne outbreaks, Cryptosporidium parasites have many characteristics that impact waterborne transmission. Compared to other parasites, the oocysts are small and are less efficiently removed by sand filtration [30]. The oocysts are also robust, surviving for months in surface waters and having resistance to many chemical disinfectants, including chlorine. They are excreted in high numbers during acute infection, require no maturation before becoming infective, and the required infective dose is small. Many waterborne outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis have been reported, including some very large outbreaks caused by contaminated drinking water [19,30]. Exposure to recreational water has also been associated with cryptosporidiosis outbreaks [19]. While most of the large waterborne cryptosporidiosis outbreaks reported have been caused by C. hominis, C. parvum can also be transmitted through contaminated water [19]. It is important to hinder entry of Cryptosporidium oocysts from farms and sewage into raw water sources in order to prevent waterborne outbreaks.
Current pharmacotherapy of cryptosporidiosis: an update of the state-of-the-art
Published in Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 2021
Anne Schneider, Sebastian Wendt, Christoph Lübbert, Henning Trawinski
The abilities of Cryptosporidium spp. to survive for up to months in humid environments and defy chlorine disinfection, as well as the low infective dose needed to induce clinical symptoms among healthy adults, pose major obstacles to eradicating the disease [32,40,51]. These characteristics, as well as the lack of a vaccine preventing Cryptosporidium infection, highlight the importance of preventive measures [32]. On the one hand, children’s malnutrition must be avoided, and HIV patients require a consequent supply of ART to be less susceptible to severe cryptosporidiosis [32,34]. On the other hand, researchers and authorities should focus on improving environmental structures and ensuring sufficient hygiene standards in resource-restricted countries. Therefore, basic hygiene is extremely important. Drinking boiled water and cautiously consuming uncooked vegetables for those at risk may help prevention.
Phenotypic screening techniques for Cryptosporidium drug discovery
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery, 2021
Melissa S. Love, Case W. McNamara
Cryptosporidium was first described by E.E. Tyzzer in 1907 [17], but was not recognized as a significant cause of gastrointestinal disease in humans until much later in 1976 [18]. Since that time, cryptosporidiosis was known to be a cause of chronic diarrhea in AIDS patients and malnourished children and associated with waterborne and zoonotic outbreaks, but was largely under-recognized and underdiagnosed, both in the developed world and in resource-limited settings. Importantly, two seminal epidemiological studies published between 2013 and 2015 highlighted the true prevalence and burden of Cryptosporidium spp. in young children [2,19]. These studies were important in raising awareness to the prevalence of this disease and triggered a ‘call-to-arms’ to identify new and effective therapeutics to treat cryptosporidiosis [20].