title: Update on human infections caused by intestinal protozoa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To update the reader on the recent literature discussing human infections due to intestinal protozoa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diarrheal diseases due to intestinal protozoa cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide in a variety of patient populations. New literature on key pathogens Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Isospora, Giardia, and Entamoeba histolytica are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recent medical literature on these pathogens has focused on new advances in understanding human genetic markers associated with susceptibility to infection and the use of molecular diagnostic techniques for both outbreak investigations (molecular epidemiology) and to understand the variability of clinical disease within species and subspecies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont 05405, USA.
authors.forename: Kristen K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.forename: Beth D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology*; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000469:parasitology; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology*; D012307:Risk Factors