title: An Irish perspective on Cryptosporidium. Part 1.
abstract: Cryptosporidiosis, a protozoal disease which causes significant morbidity in humans, is one of the chief causes of diarrhoea in neonatal ruminants. Although the parasite poses a significant threat to public health and animal health in Ireland, its epidemiology on the island is only poorly understood. Environmental studies have shown the waterborne parasite to be widespread in some untreated waterbodies around Ireland. The island's hydrogeological situation, combined with high stocking rates of livestock and the absence of filtration from regular water treatment, render it vulnerable to large-scale outbreaks. This review discusses the parasite in the Irish context and underlines the need for a reference facility to provide active surveillance on the island.
authors.affiliation: UCD School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine and Conway Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Research, University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Annetta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zintl
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mulcahy
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: de Waal
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Waele
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: Marguerite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clyne
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.forename: Seamus
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fanning