Cryptosporidium Parvum

Disease: Cryptosporidiosis

Dr Mamoun Magzoub
BSc, MBBS, MSc, PhD
• Distribution
• Cryptosporidium parvum is thought to
have a worldwide distribution. C.
parvum is particularly prevalent in
tropical countries.
• Cryptosporidium parvum is associated
with infection in persons with
immunodefficiency such as those with
AIDS or other conditions which reduce
normal immune responses, including
treatment with immunosuppressive
drugs.
Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD
• Route of transmission:
• Cryptosporium parvum , is transmitted
by the faecal-oral route with infective
oocysts being ingested.
• Cryptosporidium infection rates are
higher in the warm wet season, and
lower in the drier cool months.
• Humans infecion may be zoonotic, but
person to person is also thought to
occur.

Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD

• Life Cycle:
• The life cycle of Cryptosporidium is similar
to that of other intestinal coccidia, just like
I.belli.
• Cryptosporidium spp differ from other
coccidia that there is no sporoplast or
sporocyst.
• The oocyst contains four sporozoites.

Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD

Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD
• Clinical Features & Pathology:
• There is increasing epidemiological
evidence that C. cayetanensis is
responsible for persistent diarrhoea in
both immunocompetent and
immunocompromised individuals.
Diarrhoea can last for 1–8 weeks and may
be associated with abdominal pain,
nausea, vomiting and anorexia. Abdominal
gas and bloating are also commonly
associated features.

Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD

• In prolonged infection weight loss can be
profound.
• Other than the persistence of symptoms
there are no specific features that can
distinguish Cryptosporidium diarrhoea
from other causes of persistent diarrhoea.

Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD

• Laboratory Diagnosis
• Oocysts of Cryptosporidium can be
detected in wet preparations but they are
more easily identified in smears stained by
the modified Ziehl-Neelsen (Zn) method
following concentration by the formol ether
oocyst concentration technique.
• OR by: Safranin-Methylene blue
staining technique.

Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD

• Oocysts of Cryptosporidium
In modified Zn stained smear:
• Small, round to oval, pink red stained
bodies measuring 4–6 micrometer
Note: Older oocysts stain palely.
• Some oocysts may contain a single deeply
stained red dot.
Note: Yeasts and faecal debris often stain
pale red but these structures can usually
be distinguished from cryptosporidia.
Some bacterial spores are also acid fast
but most of these are too small to cause
confusion.
Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD
Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD
• Prevention & Control:
• Immunocompromised individuals should
ideally boil all drinking water and avoid
swimming in public water.
• Children in tropical environments should
ideally be given boiled water to drink.

Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD

• Treatment:
• There is no effective treatment that will
eradicate cryptosporidial infection in
all cases.
• Several controlled trials have now
confrmed that nitazoxanide is effective
against Cryptosporidium spp. in well-
nourished, malnourished HIV &
uninfected children.

Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD

Dr Mamoun Magzoub PhD