Cryptosporidiosis

Cryptosporidiosis is a highly infectious enteric disease of human caused by pathogenic spp. of protozoa of Cryptosporidium genus. It is characterized by watery diarrhoea, similar to cholera. It is an amphixenosis. It affects all age group, mainly children below 5 years of age, and diarrhoea is persistent. Consequential malnourishment may lead to cognitive and fitness problems persisting for years. Cryptosporidiosis in children in developing countries is a serious disease. It causes persistent and life-threatening diarrhoea among immunocompromised/immunodeficient persons.