Cryptosporidiosis
Parasitic disease / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Cryptosporidiosis, sometimes informally called crypto,[1] is a parasitic disease caused by Cryptosporidium, a genus of protozoan parasites in the phylum Apicomplexa. It affects the distal small intestine and can affect the respiratory tract in both immunocompetent (i.e., individuals with a normal functioning immune system) and immunocompromised (e.g., persons with HIV/AIDS or autoimmune disorders) individuals, resulting in watery diarrhea with or without an unexplained cough.[2] In immunosuppressed individuals, the symptoms are particularly severe and can be fatal. It is primarily spread through the fecal-oral route, often through contaminated water;[2][3] recent evidence suggests that it can also be transmitted via fomites contaminated with respiratory secretions.[2]
Cryptosporidiosis | |
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Micrograph showing cryptosporidiosis. The cryptosporidium are the small, round bodies in apical vacuoles on the surface of the epithelium. H&E stain. Colonic biopsy. | |
Specialty | Infectious disease |
Symptoms | Watery diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, fever |
Causes | Cryptosporidium infection |
Risk factors | Immunocompromisation |
Prevention | Avoid contaminated water |
Treatment | Nitazoxanide |
Cryptosporidium is commonly isolated in HIV-positive patients presenting with diarrhea.[4][5] Despite not being identified until 1976, it is one of the most common waterborne diseases and is found worldwide. The infection begins when a human consumes food or water containing cysts of the Cryptosporidium organism.[citation needed]