First report of rodent-adapted Cryptosporidium wrairi in an immunocompetent child, Spain

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) Vol. 121; no. 10; pp. 3007 - 3011
• Main Authors: Hernández-Castro, Carolina, Dashti, Alejandro, Köster, Pamela Carolina, Bailo, Begoña, López, Andrea, Llorente, María Teresa, González-Barrio, David, Sánchez, Sergio, Carmena, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.10.2022; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Children; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium wrairi; Diarrhea; Genetic aspects; Genotypes; Hygiene; Immunology; Infection; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Pets; Protozoology - Short Communication; Spain; Cryptosporidiosis; Children; Zoonosis; Transmission; Spain
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07607-3

Cryptosporidiosis is a leading cause of childhood diarrhoea. Two species, Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium parvum , are responsible for most confirmed cases globally. Close contact with pet animals can be an unnoticed source of children infections. We describe a case of infection by rodent-adapted Cryptosporidium wrairi in a 22-month-old immunocompetent toddler with no clinical manifestations in close contact with a pet guinea pig and poor personal hygiene practices in Majadahonda (Madrid, Spain). Attempts to determine the C. wrairi genotype family at the 60-kDa glycoprotein marker failed repeatedly. This is the first description of C. wrairi in a human host. Although a spurious infection cannot be completely ruled out, data presented here suggest that C. wrairi can be transmitted zoonotically.