CRYPTOSPORIDIUM RELATED DIARRHEA

Cryptosporidium is an apicomplexan parasite which causes self limited diarrhoea in immuno-competent persons and severe life threatening dise ase in immuno-compromised individuals, particularly, to patients suffe ring from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Because of increa sed incidence of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the protozoan par asite has found the human host to be ideal for perpetuation and propag ation, resulting in a natural amplification of this parasite. Much les s is known about Cryptosporidium in India, although, it is clear that this parasite is going to be a major enteric pathogen in coming years, considering the increasing number of HIV cases that are being reporte d in this country. This presentation reviews the current advances in o ur knowledge about the clinical significance, epidemiology and treatme nt of cryptosporidiosis.