Decrease in Incidence of Diarrhea Due to Cryptosporidium in Bangladeshi Children Is Associated With an Increase in Anti-Cryptosporidium Antibody Avidity

Abstract

Background. Cryptosporidium is a cause of diarrhea morbidity and mortality in infants in low- and middle-income countries. Methods. A cohort of children was followed longitudinally in a high-transmission-intensity community in Bangladesh. Results. Diarrhea attributed to Cryptosporidium (cryptosporidiosis) decreased from a peak of 0.19 episodes per child at 1–2 years to 0.05 episodes per child at 3–4 years of age (P = .0064). Notably, the decrease in cryptosporidiosis was not accompanied by a decline in subclinical infections. Using an episode-based analysis confirmed that the parasite burden declined with repeated infections (P < .0001 from the mixed-effects model included data from all infection frequencies; Cq value of the first and fourth infections (last reinfection with >10 cases): Cq 28.65 ± 5.533 versus 32.42 ± 4.046). There was also a decrease in the time required to clear a parasitic infection: longer infections (>1 month) occurred in 43% of the first infections compared to 24% in the fourth infections (P = .00017 from the mixed-effects model). The avidity of anti-Cp23 and anti-Cp17 plasma IgG increased in older children who had fewer diarrheal infections (ratio of the avidity index after the first infection versus that in the older repeatedly infected children: 1.81 ± 1.02 for anti-Cp23 IgG P > .0001 and 1.14 ± 0.35 anti-Cp17 IgG P = .0056). Conclusions. Our results are consistent with the development of an anti-Cryptosporidium adaptive immune response over repeated infections (average number of previous infections at 4 years, 2.42 ± 1.24) characterized by an increase in anti-Cryptosporidium antibody avidity that is associated with a decrease in cryptosporidiosis but not in subclinical Cryptosporidium infections.