Cryptosporidiosis in animals and man: 1. Taxonomic classification, life cycle, epidemiology and zoonotic importance

Abstract

Cryptosporidiosis is mainly a problem in neonatal farm animals. Cryptosporidium parvum is the most commonly found entero-pathogen during the 1st weeks of the life in calves, lambs, foals, piglets and goat kids and is considered to be an important agent in the etiology of the neonatal diarrhea syndrome. The parasite frequently acts alone but the losses are more pronounced when concurrent entero-pathogens are present. Economic losses associated with cryptosporidiosis are retarded growth and mortality and a number of hard to estimate costs resulting from interventions necessitated by diarrheic problems. Especially in small ruminants, the direct losses due to mortality caused by cryptosporidiosis alone were reported to be high. In the current review article, data concerning taxonomy, life cycle, epidemiology and zoonotic importance are discussed.