title: Infection with Cryptosporidium hominis provides incomplete protection of the host against Cryptosporidium parvum.
abstract: Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium parvum, which infect humans equally, are genetically/antigenically almost identical. It remains unclear, however, whether infection with C. hominis protects against C. parvum. Gnotobiotic piglets were used to investigate cross-protection. After ≥3 days of recovery from C. hominis infection, the piglets were completely protected against subsequent challenge with C. hominis but only partially against challenge with C. parvum, as compared with age-matched control animals challenged with either species. In conclusion, C. hominis-specific immunity was sufficient to completely protect against challenge with the same species but insufficient to provide the same level of protection against C. parvum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, USA. abhineet.sheoran@tufts.edu
authors.forename: Abhineet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sheoran
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wiffin
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Saul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tzipori
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D056738:Cross Protection; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D003670:Deer / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G