3. Recognized in mice in 1907
Reported in humans in 1976
Immunocompetent child
Immunosuppressed adult
Recognized globally in 1980s
and 1990s
www.nap.edu
AIDS patients
Ernest Edward Tyzzer
Outbreak among veterinary
students
4. Cryptosporidium is a
spore producing parasite
found in the intestine of
infected people and
animals.
Cryptosporidium spp. is landesbioscience.com
the most common cause
of Cryptosporidiosis.
5. Infection
Ingesting food or drinks
contaminated with fecal
material
Swallowing recreational
water contaminated with secretsofsoa.com
Cryptosporidium
Not washing hands
Sexual practices leading
to oral exposure with
fecal material
victorystore.com
6. Buries into intestinal
lining of the gut
Goes through Life Cycle
Alters osmotic pressure
Diarrhea
Atrophy of intestinal villi
Alters uptake of fluids,
electrolytes, and nutrients
Malabsorption syndrome
CDC DPDx Library
7. Symptoms (2 to 10 days after
infection and can last up to
30 days)
Diarrhea
Stomach cramps treehugger.com
Dehydration
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Weight loss
Sometimes no symptoms are
seen
bathroomscalereview.com
12. Visualization of Oocysts
4 to 6 µm
Bight-Field Microscopy
Differential Interference
contrast (DIC)
High Sensitivity and CDC DPDx Library
Specificity Wet Mount Slide
13. Visualization of Oocytes
Light pink to dark red
Can also visualize sporozoites
Relatively High Sensitivity
and Specificity
Irregular Staining
CDC DPDx Library
cause “ghost” oocysts Modified Acid Fast Stain
14. Fluorescence microscope
“Gold Standard”
High sensitivity and
specificity
Does not provide
archievable stained slide
Requires special equipment CDC DPDx Library
Fluorescent Stain
Auramine Rhodamine
15. Safranin stain
Oocysts stain a bright red
orange
Not widely used because
oocysts may not stain properly
Trichrome Stain
CDC DPDx Library
Safranin Stain
Oocysts may appear unstained
Lowest sensitivity and
specificity among all tests
Can detect Oocysts, but
Cryptosporidium should be
confirmed by diagnostic CDC DPDx Library
techniques Trichrome Stain
16. Detects isolated antigens
from a patients sample
using antibodies that are
tagged with a color
changing enzyme.
Relatively high
Sensitivity and
Specificity
Does not involve
microscopy techlab.com
Screens large numbers of
specimens
17. Separates DNA
fragments based on
size
435 bp
High Sensitivity and
Specificity
CDC DPDx Library
18. Detects isolated antigens
from sample using
antibodies. A positive test
is indicated by a colored
bar.
Variable Sensitivity and
alibaba.com
Specificity
Some Assays Have Been
Recalled
19. Nitazoxanide
Paromomycin
Azithroycin
Individuals with
AIDS
anti-retroviral therapy
generecsmed.com
20. Ashton-Rickardt, P.G. A license to remember. Nat. Immunol.
5, 1097-1098 (2004).
Beach, M.J. And Johnston, S. P. Manufacturer's recall of rapid
cartridge assay kits on the basis of false-positive Cryptosporidium
antigen tests — Colorado. MMWR. 53, 198-199 (2004).
CDC. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/crypto/. Accessed
September 22, 2011
Dillingham, R. A., Aldo, A. A., and Guerrant, R. L.
Cryptosporidiosis: epidemiology and impact. Microb. Infect.
4, 1059-1066 (2002).
Mahon, C.R., Lehman, D.C., and Manuselis, G. Textbook of
Diagnostic Microbiology. 4th Ed. Elsevier (2011)
Riggs, M. W. Recent Advances in cryptosporidiosis: the immune
response. Microb. Infect. 4, 1067-1080 (2002).
Stevens, C.D. Clinical Immunology & Serology: A Laboratory
Perspective. 3rd Ed. F.A. Davis Company (2010).
Tzipori, S. and Honorine, W. Cryptosporidiosis:
biology, pathogenesis and disease. Microb. Infect. 4, 1047-1058
(2002).