Clinical information - Cryptosporidium

Incubation period

Average 7-10 days; range 1-28 days*

Common clinical features

Watery or mucoid diarrhoea.

Reservoir

Gastrointestinal tract of man and animals, particularly farm and other domesticated animals. Water contaminated with faeces.

Transmission

Contact with infected animals. Outbreaks have been associated with public water supplies and contaminated food. Seasonal outbreaks are associated with farm visits to feed and handle lambs. Person to person spread, particularly in households and nurseries. Infection through swimming pools has been reported.

Other relevant features

Oocysts resist standard chlorination. Immunocompromised individuals are particularly susceptible and excrete large numbers of organisms if infected.

*Hawker J, Begg N, Blair I, Rientjes R, Weinberg J. Communicable Disease Control Handbook. Oxford: Blackwell Science Ltd, 2001.

Last reviewed: 15 August 2008