Cryptosporidiosis

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

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• Related Issues

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Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

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Summary

Cryptosporidiosis (crypto) is an illness caused by a parasite. The parasite lives in soil, food, and water. It may also be on surfaces that have been contaminated with feces (poop). You can become infected by swallowing the parasite, if it is in your food, drinking water, or water that you swim in. You can also get it by touching your mouth with contaminated hands.

The most common symptom of crypto is watery diarrhea. Other symptoms include:

• Dehydration
• Weight loss
• Stomach cramps or pain
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Contact your health care provider if you have watery diarrhea that lasts more than a few days. Most people with crypto get better without treatment within one to two weeks. But crypto can cause serious problems in people with weak immune systems, like those with HIV/AIDS.

To reduce your risk of crypto, wash your hands often, only drink water that you know is safe, and wash or peel fresh fruits and vegetables before eating.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

• Cryptosporidium (Crypto) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Diagnosis and Tests

• Cryptosporidium (Crypto) Disease: Diagnosis & Detection (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Ova and Parasite Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Cryptosporidium: A Guide to Water Filters (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Cryptosporidium: Sources of Infection and Risk Factors (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Treatments and Therapies

• Cryptosporidium: Treatment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Related Issues

• Cryptosporidium: Infection - Immunocompromised Persons (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Parasites and Foodborne Illness (Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service)
• Travelers' Health: Cryptosporidiosis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Cryptosporidiosis (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Diarrhoeal pathogens in the stools of children living with HIV in...
• Article: Microbial bowel infections-induced biochemical and biological abnormalities and their effects on...
• Article: Seasonal variation of diarrhoeal pathogens among Guinea-Bissauan children under five years...
• Cryptosporidiosis -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Also in Spanish
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Patient Handouts

• Cryptosporidium enteritis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish