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Cryptosporidium has been seen as an intestinal parasite, which is a kind of microorganism, that is responsible for causing diarrhea in children and adults likewise. Cryptosporidium parasites are likely to cause gastrointestinal or respiratory diseases via contact with contaminated water resources or food. It is deemed as a genus of parasitic alveolates that are known to cause diseases like diarrhea for a prolonged period of time.
Key Takeaways: Cryptosporidium, Life cycle, Transmission, Parasite, Reproduction
Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium is capable of infecting several humans and animals directly and indirectly. The direct transmission of it can possibly be detected by fecal contact by infected animals of the same kind. The transmission can largely involve animals to animals, humans to humans, or even animals to humans, all of which are greatly anticipated but can occur at any moment in time. While, the indirect transmission can generally involve environmental contamination, including water bodies heavily polluted with feces.As mentioned prior, it is a genus of the parasitic alveolates which have the ability to cause respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases both. There are innumerable species of Cryptosporidium that can and will infect mammals across the planet, if in near contact.
It is related to pathogen transmission when exposed to contaminated resources, like water or food.
Concomitantly, a person is likely to suffer from interminable coughing due to the cryptosporidium parasite forming itself upon the respiratory lines. Other than contaminated water, this parasite comes in close contact with humans by means of contaminated food.
The Cryptosporidium transmission is yet a secondary consideration amongst humans. However, the indirect transmission is likely to involve materials that were fecally contaminated in prior, all of which typically includes contact with water, clothes, or items in close vicinity.
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Cryptosporidium Life Cycle
There are different ways of transmission of Cryptosporidium. One of which is via inhalation of oocytes, which is largely responsible for causing immunocompromised diseases in both adults and children. The life cycle of cryptosporidium is more imperative to learn of all things known.
- The Egg (Stage 1): The first stage is usually birthed when humans largely come in close contact with polluted water bodies. Mainly, the disease is transmitted when humans are especially exposed to contaminated water bodies that are formerly infected by animal feces. Normally, even food items enact as a particular catalyst to transmitting parasites like this to the host.
- The Ingestion (Stage 2): The process of ingestion generally initiates after a human evidently consumes the cryptosporidium parasites either by being in close vicinity to infected water bodies, or by inhaling the same.
- The Excystation (Stage 3): By this stage, the sporozoites are seen to be released. These generally infect and directly impair epithelial cells. These cells, in a nutshell, are found on the surface of the human body, especially on the skin.
However, the main areas of target seem to be the respiratory tract, and the gastrointestinal lining of all. Henceforth, it typically undergoes two identical methods of asexual reproduction. Schizogony, being the first, is known to be an asexual reproduction that takes occurence via multiple fission in protozoa.
Merogony, on the other side, is when a protozoa becomes capable of replicating in its own nucleus while still being in the host’s body. Gametogony, however, refers to the method by which male and female gametes are produced. Simply, when microgamonts and macrogamonts start mating, they gradually fertilize and give rise to oocytes to sporulate within the infected host.
The zygotes can be dissected into two kinds, the thick-walled oocyte, and the thin-walled oocyte. Most essentially, the thick-walled oocytes, when produced, are further excreted from the host, alongside the autoinfection cycle beginning to involve within the thin-walled oocytes. It cannot be recuperated from the feces.
- The Host (Stage 4): The oocytes tend to become infectious on excretion which later becomes active in direct orally transmitted feces. The activation gives rise to transmission of the infected oocytes in the host body. The life cycle regains power once the parasite has taken entrance.
Life Cycle of Cryptosporidium
Points to Remember
- Cryptosporidium is a parasitic coccidian protozoan that can be detected in either the intestinal tract or the respiratory tract of innumerable vertebrates. It is likely to cause diseases like diarrhoea, coughing and more.
- C. Hominis and C. Parvum are the two different species that, out of several others, are responsible for 90% of the cryptosporidium diseases detected in human lives.
- The life cycle of Cryptosporidium includes four main stages before restarting again, which are, The birth of the Egg, the Ingestion, the Excystation and the Host.
- Schizogony is a process of asexual reproduction that takes places via multiple fission in protozoa.
- Merogony, on the flip side, occurs when a protozoa becomes capable of replicating in its own nucleus while still being in the host’s body.
Sample Questions
Ques. What is Cryptosporidium? Explain in brief. (3 marks)
Ans. Cryptosporidium is known to be a parasitic coccidian protozoan that can be found in either the intestinal tract or the respiratory tract of innumerable vertebrates. It is likely to cause diseases like diarrhoea, respiratory illnesses and more. Quite clearly, Cryptosporidium has the ability of infecting humans and animals both by the means of direct exposure to it. To dig further, it is a genus of the parasitic alveolates which is capable of causing respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases both.
Ques. Briefly describe the life cycle of Cryptosporidium. (5 marks)
Ans. The life cycle of Cryptosporidium is outlined below,
- The Egg (Stage 1): The first stage usually incites when a person or an animal comes in vicinity to contaminated water bodies or food. It is then that the egg begins to take surface in the host’s body.
- The Ingestion (Stage 2): The process of Ingestion begins when an animal or person is responsible for consuming polluted water or food. This is when the oocytes are seen to be released by the infected host either by means of respiratory discharge or by fecal transmission.
- The Excystation (Stage 3): The sporozoites, by this stage, releases and clearly infects the epithelial cells of gastrointestinal or the respiratory tract. Mainly, the parasites undergoes a method of asexual reproduction, alongside a process concerning sexual multiplication to give rise to micrgametes and macrogametes. After fertilization, oocytes tend to produce and sporulate in the host body. It surfaces thick-walled oocytes and thin-walled oocytes.
- The Host (Stage 4): Thenceforth, after excretion, these oocytes come to be infectious that activates oral transmission of feces.
Ques. Explain Cryptosporidiosis. (3 marks)
Ans. Cryptosporidium infection, or simply, cryptosporidiosis, is a disease that is caused by tiny, parasitic coccidian protozoan, typically referred to as cryptosporidium parasites. Likewise, when the cryptosporidium parasites enter an animal’s or a person’s body, they are known to travel all the way down to the small intestine and bore into wall linings. Following the same, they are further excreted in the form of feces, or respiratory secretions. Cryptosporidium can be detected to be present in the water, food, soil or on skin surfaces that are contaminated with the feces of infected humans or animals by the parasite.
Ques. Write a short note on Schizogony. (3 marks)
Ans. Schizogony is a process of asexual reproduction that concerns multiple fission. It can be detected in some of the protozoan classes, especially parasitic sporozoans. Quite apparently, after different kinds of nuclear divisions, the cell is evidently seen to divide into numerous daughter cells. By the process of Schizogony, several daughter cells are given rise to that are known as merozoites. Later, these can develop further into gametocytes that are capable of entering newer host cells if possible, and then again undergo the process of schizogony yet as a new cycle.
Ques. Write a brief note on Merogony. (3 marks)
Ans. Merogony is a process of asexual reproduction that is completely different from Schizogony. The process of Merogony occurs when a protozoa becomes capable of replicating in its own nucleus while still being in the host’s body. Following that, it turns out to be capable of inducing cell segmentation. It is a type of asexual reproduction that is capable of nuclear division followed immediatedly by cytoplasmic division. It has the ability to surface spore formation.
Ques. How is Cryptosporidium Parvum Life Cycle and Cryptosporidium Hominis Life Cycle different from each other? (3 marks)
Ans. Cryptosporidium can be bifurcated into different types of species, C. Parvum and C. Hominis are among the many. These two are the elemental reason behind about 90% of the Cryptosporidiosis diseases detected in the human ratio. C. Parvum is particularly responsible for causing diarrhea in humans, while C. Hominis associates in causing illnesses like persistent nausea, vomiting, malaise and even diarrhea. The cause can be an elongated list of the parasite type.
Ques. Elaborate in simple terms the Excystation stage in the life cycle of Cryptosporidium. (4 marks)
Ans. In the excystation stage of the life cycle of Cryptosporidium, the sporozoites are typically released. These contribute to impairing the epithelial cells of human skin. However, the imperative areas of target are the respiratory tract and the gastrointestinal lining in humans and animals. Undergoing asexual reproduction of Schizogony and Merogony, these target at producing microgametes and macrogametes which later undergoes mating and fertilizes oocytes that sporulate inside the infected host. The zygotes are of two types, mainly thick-walled oocytes and thin-walled oocytes. The thick-walled oocytes are discharged on excretion by the host, besides the autoinfection cycle to start involving inside the thin-walled oocytes.
Ques. Describe Cryptosporidium Parvum Life Cycle and Cryptosporidium Hominis Life Cycle. (5 marks)
Ans. The infection a person is likely to acquire mostly depends on the type of parasite and its host.
There are several identified species that come under the name of Cryptosporidium, C. Parvum and C. Hominis are among the many. In a nutshell, these two are the pivotal reason behind about 90% of the Cryptosporidiosis diseases detected in human lives.
Quite clearly, C. Parvum is only responsible for causing diarrhea, while C. Hominis associates in causing illnesses like continual nausea, vomiting, malaise and even diarrhea. The cause can be an elongated list of the parasite type.
In some cases, the substantial risk factors associated with C. Parvum is when we come in contact with farm animals. Apparently, the elemental reservation is zoonotic for C. Parvum.
Whereas, for C. Hominis, the major risk factors can be evidently witnessed when travelling out of town or when someone is responsible to change the diaper of an infant. Clearly, the elemental reservation incorporates asymptomatic carriage in children.
Cryptosporidium is responsible for causing diarrhoea and immunocompromised diseases in humans. One such instance of a disease it causes is AIDS. Cryptosporidiosis in children can contribute to impeding their growth, physical strength, and even cognitive development in some cases.
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