Where is cryptosporidiosis most common

You can also get the infection from another person. The parasite has an outer shell. Because of this, using chlorine to clean water may not kill the parasite. Crypto is one of the most common causes of waterborne disease in the U. The parasite is found throughout the world. But you are more likely to get the infection if you travel to rural areas in developing countries. Or if you often eat or drink in areas where sanitation is poor.

Outbreaks have also occurred in the U. The disease is spread by accidentally swallowing anything that has come into contact with the stool of a person or animal with the infection.

This includes:. Cryptosporidiosis is normally not a serious disease in healthy people. But it can lead to a life-threatening illness for people with a weak immune system.

Those at risk are:. You may not have any symptoms. If symptoms do develop, they often last about 2 weeks and sometimes longer. But even if you have no symptoms, the parasite is passed in your stool for up to 2 months.

During this time you are at risk of spreading the infection to others. Most people with a healthy immune system do not need to be treated as cryptosporidiosis will resolve on its own. In those who have weak immune systems, the focus of treatment is often on getting the immunity back. Otherwise, a medicine called nitazoxanide can be used to treat this parasite. No treatment works fully against the infection. This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.

Abstract Cryptosporidium is a coccidian protozoan parasite of the intestinal tract that causes severe and sometimes fatal watery diarrhea in immunocompromised patients, and self-limiting but prolonged diarrheal disease in immunocompetent individuals. The aims of the present review were: To document the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp in humans and animals in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries.

To estimate the disease burden. To examine the age distribution of the cases. To determine the seasonality of cryptosporidiosis. Open in a separate window. Detection methods In most studies fecal specimens were screened by examining stained fecal smears by bright field microscopy and the most common stains used were acid fast stains, 16 studies 10 , 32 , 36 — 39 , 41 — 50 followed by trichrome, 7 studies 33 , 34 , 37 — 40 , 44 and safranin methylene blue, 5 studies.

Prevalence and Seasonality In humans the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis ranged from 1. Table 2 Cryptosporidium detection rates among animals in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries. Cryptosporidium species and strains identified The most commonly identified species was described as Cryptosporidium parvum , which has been reported from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, 46 Kuwait, 6 Irbid, Jordan, 36 Basra, Iraq 48 and Bani-Kenanah in Jordan Table 3.

Table 3 Cryptosporidium species identified and subtyping. Saudi Arabia Dammam C. Framm SR, Soave R. Agents of diarrhea. Med Clin North Am. Soave R, Armstrong D. Cryptosporidium and cryptosporidiosis. Rev Infect Dis. Angus K. Cryptosporidiosis in man, domestic animals and birds: a review.

Journal of the Royal Society. Tzipori S. Cryptosporidiosis in animals and humans. Microbiological review. Hart CA. In: Gills HM, editor. Protozoal diseases. London: Arnold; Unique endemicity of cryptosporidiosis in children in Kuwait.

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Ann Intern Med. Cryptosporidiosis in immunocompetent patients. N Engl J Med. In people with healthy immune systems, symptoms usually last about 2 weeks. The symptoms may go in cycles in which you may seem to get better for a few days, then feel worse, before the illness ends. Most people with healthy immune systems will recover from their Cryptosporidium infection on their own.

People with compromised immune systems, for example, people with AIDS, cancer and transplant patients taking immunosuppressive medications, and people with inherited immune diseases, may have more severe symptoms and the infection may persist indefinitely. Most people with healthy immune systems do not need any specific treatment and will recover from their Cryptosporidium infection on their own. Diarrhea should be managed by drinking plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.

Nitazoxanide is the only drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat patients aged 1 year or older with diarrhea associated with cryptosporidiosis. The effectiveness of nitazoxanide in immunosuppressed people is unclear.

Contact your health care provider to discuss treatment options. People who are infected with Cryptosporidium shed the parasite in their stool while they are having symptoms and for about 2 weeks after their symptoms have stopped.

Because the drug to treat Cryptosporidium infections, nitazoxanide, does not always kill the parasite, the same precautions should be taken whether someone has been treated or not. People who have symptoms of cryptosporidiosis can reduce the risk of spreading their illness to others by following these recommendations:.

Do you suspect that you have a foodborne or waterborne illness? Complete this free online training and the Minnesota Department of Health will provide certification that your venue has learned about these issues.

Turkey: Safe Thawing and Cooking Food safety tips for handling, thawing, roasting, storing, and reheating turkey. Cooking for Groups Consumer information about preparing and serving food for large groups. Several community-wide outbreaks have been linked to drinking tap water or recreational water contaminated with Cryptosporidium. This means anyone swallowing contaminated water could get ill.

Note: Although Crypto can infect all people, some groups are likely to develop more serious illness. For more information, visit General Information for Immunocompromised Persons. For diarrhea whose cause has not been determined, the following actions may help relieve symptoms:. Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease that is spread through contact with the stool of an infected person or animal. The disease is diagnosed by examining stool samples. Healthcare providers should specifically request testing for Crypto.

Routine ova and parasite testing does not normally include Crypto testing. Most people with healthy immune systems will recover from cryptosporidiosis without treatment. The following actions may help relieve symptoms:. Over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medicine might help slow down diarrhea, but a healthcare provider should be consulted before such medicine is taken.

A drug called nitazoxanide has been FDA-approved for treatment of diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium in people with healthy immune systems and is available by prescription. Consult with your healthcare provider for more information about potential advantages and disadvantages of taking nitazoxanide. Note: Infants, young children, and pregnant women may be more likely than others to suffer from dehydration.

Losing a lot of fluids from diarrhea can be dangerous—and especially life-threatening in infants.