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Review
. 2019 Oct 22;9(4):119-123.
doi: 10.1556/1886.2019.00019. eCollection 2019 Dec 25.

Cryptosporidium Infection: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Differential Diagnosis

Elisabetta Gerace  1 , Vincenzo Di Marco Lo Presti  1 , Carmelo Biondo  2
Affiliations
Review

Cryptosporidium Infection: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Differential Diagnosis

Elisabetta Gerace et al. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp). .

Abstract

Cryptosporidium is a protozoan that infects a wide variety of vertebrates, including humans, causing acute gastroenteritis. The disease manifests with abdominal pain and diarrhea similar to that of choleric infection. In the immunocompromised hosts, the parasite causes prolonged infections that can also be fatal. For this reason, cryptosporidiosis is considered one of riskiest opportunistic infections for patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The best way to control the infection in these patients is setting up sensitive and specific diagnostic tests for epidemiological surveillance and morbidity reduction. Here, we summarized the general aspects of Cryptosporidium infection focusing on available diagnostic tools used for the diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis. Molecular methods currently available for its detection and progress in the development of new diagnostics for cryptosporidiosis are also discussed.

Keywords: differential diagnosis; immunocompromised patients; molecular techniques; protozoan parasite; severe diarrhea.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Cryptosporidium: source of infection and mode of transmission. Infection begins when an individual ingests protozoan oocysts that have been released into the feces from an infected human or animal. In the gastrointestinal tract, the oocysts are broken releasing 4 sporozoites (a) that invade the mucosa to establish a cycle of repeated endogenous reinfection (endogenous autoinfection). The trophozoites remain in the apical portion of the cell (b) and undergo asexual division (merogony) to form merozoites (c). The merozoites released from type I meronts enter adjacent host cells to form type II meronts. Type II meronts do not recycle but enter host cells to form the sexual stages (d). The type II meronts form merozoites that differentiate in sexual reproductive microgamonts (male) and macrogamonts (female) (e). After fertilization, the zygote develops into resistant thick-walled oocysts (f) that are excreted from the host in the fecal material. However, some oocysts are thin-walled (g) and excyst within the same host in a process of autoinfection (h)
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Principal methods used for the detection of Cryptosporidium in stool samples. (A) Microscopic identification of Cryptosporidium cysts stained by modified Ziehl–Neelsen stain. Upper panel, the oocysts stain bright red against a background of blue-green fecal debris and yeasts; lower panel, colorless oocysts that have been associated with resolving infection. (B) Immunochromatographic assay for detecting Cryptosporidium oocysts in stool samples, (C) ELISA assay for the detection of Cryptosporidium antigen in stool samples, and (D) Cryptosporidium oocysts (arrows) do not stain with Lugol's iodine solution. Oocysts appears similar to yeasts but colorless. (E) PCR detection of Cryptosporidium
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