Cryptosporidium and Cryptosporidiosis: The Perspective from the Gulf Countries.

Shahira A Ahmed,Panagiotis Karanis

doi:10.3390/ijerph17186824

Abstract

The present review discusses the burden of cryptosporidiosis in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is underreported and underestimated. It emphasizes that the Cryptosporidium parasite is infecting inhabitants and expatriates in the Gulf countries. Children under 5 years are a vulnerable group that is particularly affected by this parasitic disease and can act as carriers, who contribute to the epidemiology of the disease most probably via recreational swimming pools. Various risk factors for cryptosporidiosis in the GCC countries are present, including expatriates, predisposing populations to the infection. Water contamination, imported food, animal contact, and air transmission are also discussed in detail, to address their significant role as a source of infection and, thus, their impact on disease epidemiology in the Gulf countries’ populations.

Highlights

IntroductionSeveral species of the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium can cause this disease [1], in which Cryptosporidium oocysts have ubiquitous presence in the environment
Cryptosporidiosis is a significant diarrhoeal disease for both people and animals worldwide.Several species of the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium can cause this disease [1], in which Cryptosporidium oocysts have ubiquitous presence in the environment
64 articles were retained for full text analysis and subsequently 39 articles were selected for the analysis of human cryptosporidiosis, from which only 28 of the articles were selected for final analytical inclusion (Figure 1)

Summary

Introduction

Several species of the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium can cause this disease [1], in which Cryptosporidium oocysts have ubiquitous presence in the environment. Cryptosporidium oocysts transmission can occur following direct or indirect contact with an infected host usually via the faecal–oral route. Person-to-person contact, zoonosis, and the consumption of contaminated food or water are well known mechanisms for faecal–oral transmission [2,3], with a significant risk of infection from the ingestion of a single oocyst [4]. When the oocysts enter the gastrointestinal tract, the invasive Cryptosporidium causes damage to the small intestinal epithelium. It disrupts the barrier function and absorption capability that leads to mild-to-severe diarrhoea and other abdominal symptoms. Cryptosporidium infection is usually asymptomatic or mild, which is generally self-limiting

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