Cryptosporidium Infection Research Articles

The effects of Cryptosporidium infection on gut fungi and enzyme abundance in Sus domesticus

The effects of Cryptosporidium infection on gut fungi and enzyme abundance in Sus domesticus

Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium Infection and Analysis of Hematological and Biochemical Changes in Diarrheic Pre-weaned Calves in Egypt

Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium Infection and Analysis of Hematological and Biochemical Changes in Diarrheic Pre-weaned Calves in Egypt

Assessment of Cryptosporidium Burden in Cattle in Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

This study was undertaken to undertaken to assess the Cryptosporidium burden in cattle in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria. A total of 400 cattle fecal samples were screened for Cryptosporidium oocysts using Safranin-Methylene Blue staining technique. A questionnaire was used to analyze the possible factors driving the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in the study area. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection was 17.8% (71/400). The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in cattle was highest (32.4%, 22/68) in the Gwagwalada Area Council and lowest (12.1%, 8/66) in AMAC. There was a significant difference in prevalence of Cryptosporidium in cattle in the Area Councils (P= 0.010 < 0.005). There was a statistical difference in prevalence of Cryptosporidium and age, consistency of feces, breed, management practices and size of herd of cattle (P < 0.05) in the study area. There was no significant difference in sex and prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in the study area (P > 0.05). This study demonstrated a widespread prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in Federal Capital Territory. More worrisome is their prevalence in asymptomatic cattle as reservoirs that may sustain zoonotic cycle of transmission in the humans.

Health risks of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in the application of surface water and septic tank effluent in Chinese agriculture: Impact on cancer patients identified by quantitative microbial risk assessment

The protozoa Cryptosporidium and Giardia are major causes of diarrhea and are commonly found on vegetables in China. They pose a health risk, particularly to immunocompromised individuals, including cancer patients. A quantitative microbial risk assessment of Chinese data evaluated the risks of Cryptosporidium and Giardia exposure arising from the application of surface water and septic tank effluent to agricultural land. Exposure via agricultural produce consumption (consumers) and agricultural practices (farmers) was considered for subpopulations of cancer patients and immunocompetent people in urban and rural areas, and risk mitigation scenarios were modelled. The cumulative disease burdens attributable to cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis were, respectively, 9.68×10−6 and 5.57×10−5 disability-adjusted life years per person per year (DALYs pppy) for immunocompetent people, and 3.14×10−5 and 1.51×10−4 DALYs pppy for cancer patients. Cancer patients were approximately three times more likely to have an individual disease burden than immunocompetent people. The disease burden was higher for consumers than farmers, and higher in rural areas than urban areas (all exceeding the maximum recommended by the World Health Organization). The highest burdens were in provinces of high population, such as Henan, Guangdong, and Sichuan, while the burden associated with human and livestock fecal effluent application was higher than with surface water irrigation. Of the three vegetables studied, lettuce posed the greatest risk, followed by bok choy, while cucumber posed the least risk. Risk mitigation scenario analysis showed that pre-treatment of surface water and feces, and appropriate post-harvest handling of vegetables, including disinfection, cooking, and adequate surface heat treatment (75 °C for 60 s), should be considered when attempting to reduce disease burdens. The methodology and findings of this study are useful for evaluating and reducing the burden of Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections associated with agricultural irrigation and fertilization practices, particularly on cancer patients.

In Vitro Susceptibility of Cryptosporidium parvum to Plant Antiparasitic Compounds.

Cryptosporidium parvum is a significant cause of watery diarrhoea in humans and other animals worldwide. Although hundreds of novel drugs have been evaluated, no effective specific chemotherapeutic intervention for C. parvum has been reported. There has been much recent interest in evaluating plant-derived products in the fight against gastrointestinal parasites, including C. parvum. This study aimed to identify extracts from 13 different plant species that provide evidence for inhibiting the growth of C. parvum in vitro. Efficacy against C. parvum was detected and quantified using quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence assays. All plant extracts tested against C. parvum showed varying inhibition activities in vitro, and none of them produced a cytotoxic effect on HCT-8 cells at concentrations up to 500 µg/mL. Four plant species with the strongest evidence of activity against C. parvum were Curcuma longa, Piper nigrum, Embelia ribes, and Nigella sativa, all with dose-dependent efficacy. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time that these plant extracts have proven to be experimentally efficacious against C. parvum. These results support further exploration of these plants and their compounds as possible treatments for Cryptosporidium infections.

Molecular evaluation of Cryptosporidium spp. among breeding calves of Lorestan province Western Iran.

Cryptosporidium spp. are opportunistic intestinal protozoans with global distribution and are of great importance as zoonotic protozoans are common to humans and domestic animals, including cattle and calves. Identification and detection of parasite species using precise methods including molecular methods can be an effective step in treating and controlling parasites. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium among breeding calves of Khorramabad city, Lorestan province, Western Iran, using PCR. The faecal samples were taken from 181 healthy and diarrhoeal calves and after the Ziehl Neelsen Acid-fast staining and microscopic evaluation, the genomic DNA was extracted for molecular evaluations. To detect Cryptosporidium species, specific primers targeting the SAM-1 gene of Cryptosporidium and a commercial master mix were used for PCR. Out of 181 faecal samples of breeding calves in Khorramabad city, 9 samples (5%) were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. using the PCR method. Statistical analysis of the data showed that there was no significant statistical relationship between Cryptosporidium infection of the calves and variables of age, breed, type of water consumption, clinical signs of diarrhoea, and sampling location, while parasite infection had a significant relationship with calf gender so that all Cryptosporidium positive samples were from male calves (p ≤ 0.05). Considering the presence of Cryptosporidium infection, the region's traditional grazing system, and the close relationship between livestock and humans, there is a possibility of human infection in the region. So preventive measures such as periodic animal testing with sensitive and accurate diagnostic techniques including PCR, pharmacological treatment of livestock, water hygiene and the use of industrial grazing instead of traditional grazing to improve the hygiene of food consumed by livestock are recommended.

Cryptosporidiosis: From Prevention to Treatment, a Narrative Review.

Cryptosporidiosis is a water- and food-borne zoonotic disease caused by the protozoon parasite of the genus Cryptosporidium. C. hominis and C. parvum are the main two species causing infections in humans and animals. The disease can be transmitted by the fecal-oral route as well as the respiratory route. The infective stage (sporulated oocysts) is resistant to different disinfectants including chlorine. Currently, no effective therapeutic drugs or vaccines are available to treat and control Cryptosporidium infection. To prevent cryptosporidiosis in humans and animals, we need to understand better how the disease is spread and transmitted, and how to interrupt its transmission cycle. This review focuses on understanding cryptosporidiosis, including its infective stage, pathogenesis, life cycle, genomics, epidemiology, previous outbreaks, source of the infection, transmission dynamics, host spectrum, risk factors and high-risk groups, the disease in animals and humans, diagnosis, treatment and control, and the prospect of an effective anti-Cryptosporidium vaccine. It also focuses on the role of the One Health approach in managing cryptosporidiosis at the animal-human-environmental interface. The summarized data in this review will help to tackle future Cryptosporidium infections in humans and animals and reduce the disease occurrence.

Detection, prevalence, and risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium infection among cattle in Kwara State, Nigeria

Cryptosporidium species cause high morbidity and sometimes high mortality rates among cattle, resulting in serious economic threats. This present study is aimed at investigating the presence, prevalence, distribution, and risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium species infection among cattle in Kwara State, Nigeria. To achieve this, 333 apparently healthy cattle were sampled from abattoirs and different cattle herds over a one-year period. Faecal samples were collected and subjected to the formalin-ethyl acetate (formol-ether) sedimentation technique. Sediments from the formol-ether sedimentation method were used for the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. The Microsoft Excel (2016) spreadsheet and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, Chicago, Illinois, USA) for Windows version 22.0 were used for the data analysis. Of the cattle sampled, 99 were positive for the enteric protozoan (29.73%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 25.07–34.85). There was no distinct pattern in the monthly prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle. Breeds of cattle, physiological status, and seasons were statistically associated with the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in cattle. There is a need to educate pastoralists on the control and preventive measures of this enteric protozoan to improve the economy of the cattle industry and prevent possible transmission to humans in Kwara State and Nigeria in general.

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum Among Children At Wasit Province

Cryptosporidium parvum is an important enteric parasite among infants and children in Wasit Province. The present study was conducted from September to December 2011 in Al-Karamah Teaching Hospital in Wasit Province. Children aged 1 month to 12 years presenting with acute or persistent diarrhea were selected randomly. The oocyst of C. parvum was investigated in stool specimens using a modified acid-fast staining method. A total of 100 feces samples of children (55 male and 45 female) were examined. Fifty (50%) specimens were oocyst positive. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection was significantly higher (59%) in children under one year old compared to children between (7-12)years old(4%). Most of the infected children were had anemia. The infective rate of Cryptosporidium parvum in males was higher 27% than females 23% . Also, there was no significant difference among children in gender.

Global prevalence and risk factors of Cryptosporidium infection in Equus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Cryptosporidium infection with the main symptom of diarrhea. The present study performed a metaanalysis to determine the global prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Equus animals. Data collection was carried out using Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Chinese journal database (VIP), WanFang Data, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases, with 35 articles published before 2021 being included in this systematic analysis. This study analyzed the research data through subgroup analysis and univariate regression analysis to reveal the factors leading to high prevalence. We applied a random effects model (REM) to the metadata. The total prevalence rate of Cryptosporidium in Equus was estimated to be 7.59% from the selected articles. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in female Equus was 2.60%. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Equus under 1-year-old was 11.06%, which was higher than that of Equus over 1-year-old (2.52%). In the experimental method groups, the positive rate detected by microscopy was the highest (10.52%). The highest Cryptosporidium prevalence was found in scale breeding Equus (7.86%). The horses had the lowest Cryptosporidium prevalence (7.32%) among host groups. C. muris was the most frequently detected genotype in the samples (53.55%). In the groups of geographical factors, the prevalence rate of Cryptosporidium in Equus was higher in regions with low altitude (6.88%), rainy (15.63%), humid (22.69%), and tropical climates (16.46%). The search strategy use of five databases might have caused the omission of some researches. This metaanalysis systematically presented the global prevalence and potential risk factors of Cryptosporidium infection in Equus. The farmers should strengthen the management of young and female Equus animals, improve water filtration systems, reduce stocking densities, and harmless treatment of livestock manure.

Whole transcriptome analysis of HCT-8 cells infected by Cryptosporidium parvum

BackgroundCryptosporidium species are zoonotic protozoans that are important causes of diarrhoeal disease in both humans and animals. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play an important role in the innate immune defense against Cryptosporidium infection, but the underlying molecular mechanisms in the interaction between human ileocecal adenocarcinoma (HCT-8) cells and Cryptosporidium species have not been entirely revealed.MethodsThe expression profiles of messenger RNAs (mRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) in the early phase of infection of HCT-8 cells with Cryptosporidium parvum and at 3 and 12 h post infection were analyzed using the RNA-sequencing technique. The biological functions of differentially expressed RNAs (dif-RNAs) were discovered through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. The targeting relationships between three ncRNAs and mRNAs were analyzed using bioinformatics methods, followed by building a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network centered on miRNAs.ResultsAfter strictly filtering the raw data, our analysis revealed 393 dif-lncRNAs, 69 dif-miRNAs and 115 dif-mRNAs at 3 hpi, and 450 dif-lncRNAs, 129 dif-miRNAs, 117 dif-mRNAs and one dif-circRNA at 12 hpi. Of these, 94 dif-lncRNAs, 24 dif-miRNAs and 22 dif-mRNAs were detected at both post-infection time points. Eleven dif-lncRNAs, seven dif-miRNAs, eight dif-mRNAs and one circRNA were randomly selected and confirmed using the quantitative real-time PCR. Bioinformatics analyses showed that the dif-mRNAs were significantly enriched in nutritional absorption, metabolic processes and metabolism-related pathways, while the dif-lncRNAs were mainly involved in the pathways related to the infection and pathogenicity of C. parvum (e.g. tight junction protein) and immune-related pathways (e.g. cell adhesion molecules). In contrast, dif-miRNAs and dif-circRNA were significantly enriched in apoptosis and apoptosis-related pathways. Among the downregulated RNAs, the miRNAs has-miR-324-3p and hsa-miR-3127-5p appear to be crucial miRNAs which could negatively regulate circRNA, lncRNA and mRNA.ConclusionsThe whole transcriptome profiles of HCT-8 cells infected with C. parvum were obtained in this study. The results of the GO and KEGG pathway analyses suggest significant roles for these dif-RNAs during the course of C. parvum infection. A ceRNA regulation network containing miRNA at its center was constructed for the first time, with hsa-miR-324-3p and hsa-miR-3127-5p being the crucial miRNAs. These findings provide novel insights into the responses of human intestinal epithelial cells to C. parvum infection.Graphical

CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS IN CALVES WITH CHRONIC NON-RESPONSIVE DIARRHOEA

This research work was conducted to study the role of cryptosporidial infection in calves with chronic non-responsive diarrhoea (1-4 weeks old). The study shows that cryptoridium was common infections agent causing diarrhoea in calves during the first month of calf life. the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in calves with chronic diarrhoea was 51.5%, using the method of safranin methylene blue staining of faecal smears from diarrhoeic calves. The infection rate was higher in calves of group A (closed breeding system) than those of calves in group B (open breeding system), as the study reveals the rate 65.6% and 42.3% respectively. The study also shows that infection was higher in calves of two weeks old (36.3%) than other age groups. cryptosporidium oocysts were also reported from few numbers of healthy non-diarrhoeic calves at rate of 8.1%.

Cryptosporidium in human-animal-environment interphase at Adama and Asella areas of Oromia regional state, Ethiopia

BackgroundIn Ethiopia, several studies have reported the occurrence of Cryptosporidium infection in young calves, lambs, and HIV positive patients. However, research on cattle and sheep of all ages, as well as humans, has been limited.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the occurrence of Cryptosporidium in dairy cattle, sheep, humans, and manure samples. Dairy cattle and sheep were stratified according to their age groups and randomly sampled. Stool samples from volunteered dairy farm workers and rural household members were collected purposefully. A semi-structured questionnaire was also used to collect information about manure handling practices and socio-demographic variables. All collected samples were processed with the sugar floatation technique and the modified Ziehl–Neelsen staining method. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association of risk factors with the occurrence of Cryptosporidium in study subjects (p < 0.05).ResultsThe overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium in dairy cattle, sheep, humans, and manure samples was 20.5%, 14%, 16%, and 13.20%, respectively. Cryptosporidium infection was significantly higher in dairy cattle aged 1–12 months and 13–36 months with odds of 3.48 and 3.07 times higher, respectively, compared to others. Similarly, its occurrence was 2.69 times higher in sheep aged 1–6 months than those above 6 months. And also, a higher average oocyst count (above 10 oocysts) per-field was observed in cattle aged 1–12 months, followed by sheep aged 1–6 months. Furthermore, the likelihood of infection was 13 times greater in farm workers compared to household members of smallholder farmers. In addition, the occurrence of oocysts was 22.8 times higher in manures from dairy cattle than that of sheep. About 16.8% of the study respondents had manure disposal pit, 98.1% of them used manure as fertilizer for crop and vegetable production without any treatment.ConclusionsThe study revealed the occurrence of Cryptosporidium infection in all age groups of dairy cattle and sheep, humans engaged in animal production. Occurrence of Cryptosporidium in manure suggests it potential contamination of environment and water sources.

Asymptomatic Cryptosporidiosis in Children Living with HIV.

Children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an increased risk of opportunistic Cryptosporidium infection. Cryptosporidium usually causes chronic diarrhea that may lead to impaired growth and cognitive function in children. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in children, describe its clinical characteristics, and the risk factors. A cross-sectional study involving children aged 6 months to 18 years old with confirmed HIV infection was carried out in Sardjito General Hospital, Yogyakarta. Diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis was made by PCR of 18S rRNA after being screened by microscopic examination. The clinical characteristics and risk factors were obtained from medical records and structured questionnaires. A total of 52 participants were included in the final analysis. The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis was 42.3%. Approximately 68% of the HIV children with cryptosporidiosis were asymptomatic, while those who reported symptoms showed weight loss and diarrhea. Independent risk factors of cryptosporidiosis were diarrhea (AOR 6.5; 95% CI 1.16-36.67), well water as drinking water source (AOR 6.7; 95% CI 1.83-24.93), and drink untreated water (AOR 5.8; 95% CI 1.04-32.64). A high prevalence of asymptomatic cryptosporidiosis was observed among children with HIV infection and PCR screening of Cryptosporidium in high-risk children is advisable.

Stall Sanitation Associated with Cryptosporidium sp. Infection on Calf and Cattle Farmer

Increasing the cattle population can increase the amount of the waste. Poor management of cage sanitation has the risk of causing a decrease in the health conditions of cattle farmers, such as: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and itching, as many as 50% of cattle with diarrhea are infected with Cryptosporidium sp. The highest infection of Cryptosporidium sp. in cattle found in calves. The calf can excrete 1×1010 oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. per day. Cryptosporidium sp. also has the potential to cause zoonotic infections that are transmitted from animals to humans. The study aims was to determine the relationship between stall sanitation and Cryptosporidium sp. to calf and cattle farmer. The type of this research was analytic observational with a cross sectional approach conducted in Jatian Village, Pakusari, Jember during October 2021 - March 2022. The primary data was obtained through interviews and observations. The feces of calves and cattle farmer were collected and examined using sedimentation method and modified Ziehl-Neelsen (MZN) staining method. The statistical test used is the chi-square test. The results showed that the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. in calves by 14,3% and on cattle farmer by 4,8%. The bivariate analysis showed that that stall location and waste handling were associated with Cryptosporidium for calf (p≤0.05), and there were no variables that were significantly related to infection in cattle farmers (p&gt;0,05). Cryptosporidium sp. in calves and humans can be caused by several factors, such as environmental factors and hosts. Preventive measures such as maintaining a clean environment including cowshed sanitation and personal hygiene need to be taken to reduce the risk of Cryptosporidium infection from calves to humans, and vice versa.

Development of duplex real-time PCR for quick detection of cryptosporidiosis in goats.

Cryptosporidium spp. is the most important foodborne and waterborne pathogens and a leading cause of mortality from foodborne and waterborne gastrointestinal diseases. In neonates of domestic animals, it is associated with consistent diarrhea and dehydration. Cryptosporidium infection begins with the ingestion of sporulated oocytes disseminated by carrier animals that consistently contaminate the environment. Many diagnostic tests are available including microscopy and antigen trap-ELISA, but none of the diagnostic tests available currently cannot differentiate between active and passive infection in the host. In the current study, to address this challenge an mRNA-basedduplex TaqMan® probe PCR was developed to target the Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein gene and 18SSU rRNA gene in a single tube that can detect metabolically active cryptosporidial oocysts. The mRNA transcripts are the direct indicator of any actively replicating cell and they will help decipher the active stages of its lifecycle in a host. This diagnostic assay was standardized by computing transcript copy number-based limit of detection (LOD). For COWP and 18SSU rRNA genes, the LOD was 7.08 × 1004 and 5.95 × 1005 , respectively. During active infections, the oocyst wall protein will be active and so its COWP gene transcripts will act as a marker for active infection. While transcripts for 18SSU rRNA are constitutively expressed in cryptosporidial life cycle. This current diagnostic assay will be a quantitative marker that will help assess the active stages of Cryptosporidium infection in neonates. The disease dynamics will help better understand to formulate the control strategies and contain infection among healthy animals.

Investigation of Parasitic Infection in Crocodile Lizards (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) Using High-Throughput Sequencing.

Simple SummaryTo explore unexplained crocodile lizard deaths, we analyzed fecal samples from crocodile lizards at the Daguishan and Luokeng nature reserves using high-throughput sequencing to investigate parasitic infections in this endangered species. The present study reported the occurrence of parasitic infection in wild and captive crocodile lizards, with a total parasitic infection rate of 33.33% (23/69). Different influencing factors (populations and regions) were analyzed, and significant differences were found. The results indicate that captive crocodile lizards were more susceptible to parasitic diseases than wild crocodile lizards. In addition, only Cryptosporidium infection varied by geographical location, with crocodile lizards from Daguishan showing higher susceptibility to Cryptosporidium infestation. From a disease prevention perspective, these findings have great significance for crocodile lizard conservation.The highly endangered crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) continues to be impacted by disease, especially in captive breeding populations. In this paper, based on high-throughput sequencing, we investigated parasitic infections in captive and wild crocodile lizard populations in the Daguishan National Nature Reserve and Guangdong Luokeng Shinisaurus crocodilurus National Nature Reserve. The results show that the overall parasitic infection rate in crocodile lizards was 33.33% (23/69). Four parasite genera were detected, including Eimeria, Cryptosporidium, Nematopsis, and Acanthamoeba, with infection rates of 15.94% (11/69), 17.39% (12/69), 7.25% (5/69), and 4.35% (3/69), respectively. Significant differences in the infection rate were found between the different parasite species (χ2 = 8.54, p < 0.05, chi-squared test). The parasitic infection rates in the captive and wild populations were 39.29% (22/56) and 7.69% (1/13), respectively, which were significantly different (p < 0.05, Fisher’s exact test). However, no significant differences in the infection rates of the four parasite genera were found between the captive and wild populations (p > 0.05, Fisher’s exact test). The parasitic infection rates in Daguishan and Luokeng were 34.09% (15/44) and 32.00% (8/25), respectively, which were not significantly different (p > 0.05, Fisher’s exact test). However, significant differences in terms of species were found in the two reserves (p < 0.01, Fisher’s exact test). Only Cryptosporidium infection showed a significant difference between the two regions (p < 0.01, Fisher’s exact test). Our results suggest that captive crocodile lizards are more susceptible to parasitic diseases than wild crocodile lizards and that Cryptosporidium infection varies by geographical region. This study provides basic information about the parasites of endangered crocodile lizards, as well as a reference for disease control and conservation.

Prevalence of Cryptosporidiosis and It’s Associated Risk Factors Among Human Population in Zakho District, Duhok Province, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Cryptosporidiosis caused by species belonging to genus Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic disease that affects both animals and humans, making it a major public health and veterinary concern. A cross sectional study was performed during the period from August 2021 to March2022, to estimate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in the human population in order to determine the effect of associated risk factors on the rate of infection in Zakho district, Duhok. Seven hundred Fecal specimens were collected from Zakho General Hospital and two primary schools located in suburban area of Zakho city. The collected stool specimens were examined macroscopically and microscopically using a modified Ziehl–Neelsen staining method. Cryptosporidium infection was found in 87.57% (613/700) of the examined specimens. Males showed slightly higher infection rate than females (88.4% vs. 85.5%) with non-significant difference (P &gt; 0.05). Ages group (31-41 years) showed highest rates, with significant difference (P&lt;0.05). The highest rates of infection were reported among families with 6-10 members, people drinking unfiltered municipal tap water, suburban residents, those with close contacts with domestic animal, and illiterate people. The control of this disease necessitates the improvement of living conditions, providing potable clean water and disseminating health education programs among the community.

Detection of Blastocystis spp., Cryptosporidium spp. and Encephalitozoon spp. among wild animals from Eastern Slovakia.

The aim of this study was to draw attention to the risk of transmission of Encephalitozoon, Cryptosporidium and Blastocystis infection due to high animal migration and to point out that even wild animals can be a source of many zoonotic diseases. Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Cryptosporidium spp. and Blastocystis spp. are frequent microscopic organisms that parasitise humans, domestic and wild animals. Two hundred and fifty-five faecal specimens were collected from wild boars, badgers, wolves, bears, foxes and deer from 15 locations in Slovakia. Sequencing of positive PCR products and subsequent sequence comparison with GenBank sequences identified Blastocystis spp. in five wild boars. The ST 5 (n = 4) and ST 10 (n = 1) subtypes were determined by genotyping. We identified Encephalitozoon cuniculi in five wild boars, and genotype II (n = 5) was determined on the basis of ITS repeat sequences. Cryptosporidium scrofarum was sequenced in wolves (n = 4) and wild boars (n = 1), while Cryptosporidium suis only in wild boars (n = 2). None of the wild boars had a mixed infection.

Cryptosporidium Infection in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in South Asia - Expert Group Opinion for Diagnosis and Management

Cryptosporidium is a protozoan ubiquitous in natural water sources worldwide. It is a common intestinal pathogen that frequently causes gastroenteritis syndrome. It is mainly transmitted from person to person via the fecal-oral route, sexual transmission, and possibly through respiratory secretions. After an incubation period of a few days to 2 weeks, it presents as an asymptomatic oocyst passer to clinically evident profuse and prolonged diarrhea, associated with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fever. The extraintestinal manifestations may occur in the form of respiratory tract disease, pancreatitis, cholangitis, rarely sclerosing cholangitis, and urinary tract infection. Stool microscopy examination for identifying oocysts is the mainstay diagnostic tool. The association with cancer is new evolving paradigm with cryptosporidium infection. Nitazoxanide is the treatment of choice. However, paromomycin in combination with other antiparasitic agents, such as macrolides (azithromycin, spiramycin), and nitazoxanide may be a more effective option in case of no response.