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Abstract

The protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium is now widely
accepted as a cause of human gastroenteritis. The apparent
lack of host specificity and the ability of the organism to
undergo its entire life-cycle within the one host has
important epidemiological implications. Studies here in
Australia and in many other countries have shown
Cryptosporidium to be an important pathogenic agent in
gastroenteritis with an increased incidence in children, a
strong rural connection and a possible seasonal trend in
some places.
The results of this study show that there are simple
and sensitive methods for detecting Cryptosporidium
which could be incorporated into the standard work up for
gastrointestinal disease in the routine laboratory.
The survey found that Cryptosporidium was the second
most common faecal pathogen found after Campylobacter
jejuni and therefore the most common intestinal parasite in
Tasmania. The disease was found to have definite seasonal
trends with peaks in late spring and autumn. Young children
were more commonly affected and an association between
contact with animals and consumption of unpastuerised milk
was shown. Immunological studies of the different classes of
antibodies produced after infection with Cryptosporidium
show that there is a definite immediate IgA response in
most patients followed later by IgM and then IgG. The one
AIDS patient with cryptosporidiosis examined in this study
showed an almost complete lack of humoral immune response
to the infection and one patient possibly became
reinfected.

Item Type:	Thesis - Unspecified
Authors/Creators:	Hawkesford, T
Keywords:	Protozoan diseases, Gastroenteritis
Copyright Holders:	The Author
Copyright Information:	Copyright 1989 the Author - The University is continuing to endeavour to trace the copyright owner(s) and in the meantime this item has been reproduced here in good faith. We would be pleased to hear from the copyright owner(s).
Additional Information:	Thesis (M.Med.Sc.)--University of Tasmania, 1989. Bibliography: p. 140-165
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