Cryptosporidiosis in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries

Cryptosporidium is a coccidian protozoan parasite of the intestinal tract that causes severe potent t tially fatal watery diarrhea in immunocomprot t mised patients and selftlimiting but often prolonged diarrheal disease in immunocompetent individuals. 1,2t can also infect other animal species and thus may be zoonotic. 3,4The infective form of Cryptosporidium is the thicktwalled oocyst which is excreted in large numbers in the feces during acute infection.The oocyst is resist t tant to desiccation and most disinfectants. 5Volunteer studies have demonstrated that the infective dose can be as low as one oocyst 5 and thus infection is easily spread personttotperson directly or indirectly.Cryptosporidiosis is a significant cause of diarrheal diseases in both developing and industrialized nations, 6 but several epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that Cryptosporidium is more prevalent in developing Cryptosporidiosis in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries