infections
Cryptosporidiosis
Introduction
Cryptosporidiosis is an intestinal infection caused byCryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite. The main symptoms are abdominal cramping and diarrhea. People acquire the infection by consuming contaminated water or food or by having contact with infected people or animals. Abdominal cramping and watery diarrhea may begin suddenly, sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, and weakness. Doctors diagnose the infection by examining or analyzing a stool sample for signs of the parasite. Adequate sanitation and hand washing can help prevent spread of the infection, as can boiling water before drinking it. Healthy people often recover on their own, but they may require treatment with an antiparasitic drug. People with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection or a (See also Overview of Parasitic Infections .) Cryptosporidiumparasites are protozoa that infect people and many kinds of animals throughout the world. Cryptosporidiosis is acquired by IngestingCryptosporidiumparasites in water or food contaminated by human or animal feces containing the parasite's eggs Ingesting parasites from soil or an item that has been contaminated with eggs Ingesting parasites acquired from close contact with an infected person or animal The thick-walled eggs ofCryptosporidiumare very hardy and are frequently present in swimming pools, hot tubes, water parks, lakes, and rivers around the world. The parasite is not killed by freezing or by the usual levels of chlorine in swimming pools or drinking water. After people swallow the eggs, the eggs move to the intestine, where they release an immature form of the parasite, which enters the cells that line the intestine. The parasite matures, multiplies, and produces eggs. People then pass the eggs in their feces. Only a small number ofCryptosporidiumeggs are required to cause infection. Because of the enormous number ofCryptosporidiumthat an infected person or animal can shed (10 million to 100 million) in their stool and the ability of just a few ingested organisms to start an infection, the infection can easily spread person-to-person, for example, in day care centers or petting zoos. Cryptosporidiosis is a common cause of diarrhea among children living in areas where sanitation is poor. It occasionally occurs among travelers to such areas. Cryptosporidiosis also causes diarrhea outbreaks in the United States. In Baker City, Oregon, 2,780 people became sick when the city's water supply was contaminated withCryptosporidiumin 2013. Outbreaks have occurred in other cities and in day care centers. People with a Overview of Immunodeficiency Disorders , particularly those with advanced People with a healthy immune system may not need treatment for cryptosporidiosis. 