Cryptosporidium



Cryptosporidium


Laura Webb Lamps, MD









This small bowel biopsy from a patient with Cryptosporidium shows villous blunting and a predominantly mononuclear cell infiltrate in the lamina propria.






The characteristic basophilic parasites bulge out from the apex of the epithelial cells toward the luminal surface of the duodenum image.


TERMINOLOGY



ETIOLOGY/PATHOGENESIS


Environmental Exposure



  • Transmitted by person-to-person contact or ingestion of contaminated food/water



    • Also associated with exposure to farm animals, domestic animals


    • Other risk factors include day care center attendance, immunosuppression, travel


    • Resistant to chlorine, conventional water filtration devices


CLINICAL ISSUES

Jul 8, 2016 | Posted by in PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE | Comments Off on Cryptosporidium

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