title: Virulence of geographically different Cryptosporidium parvum isolates in experimental animal model
abstract: Cryptosporidium parvum is a coccidian parasite which causes gastrointestinal disease in humans and a variety of other mammalian species. Several studies have reported different degrees of pathogenicity and virulence among Cryptosporidium species and isolates of the same species as well as evidence of variation in host susceptibility to infection. The study aimed to investigate infectivity and virulence of two Cryptosporidium parvum “Iowa isolate” (CpI) and a “local water isolate” (CpW). Thirty-three Swiss albino mice have been divided into three groups: Negative control Group (C), the CpI group infected with “Iowa isolate “and the CpW group infected with C. parvum oocysts isolated from a local water supply. Infectivity and virulence have been measured by evaluating clinical, parasitological and histological aspects of infection. Significant differences were detected regarding oocysts shedding rate, clinical outcomes, and the histopathological picture of the intestine, lung, and brain. It was concluded that the local water isolate is significantly more virulent than the exported one.
authors: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
authors: Fatma G.
authors: FG
authors: Sayed
authors: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
authors: Amany I.
authors: AI
authors: Hamza
authors: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
authors: Lamia A.
authors: LA
authors: Galal
authors: Department of Clinical Pathology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
authors: Douaa M.
authors: DM
authors: Sayed
authors: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
authors: Mona
authors: M
authors: Gaber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000469:parasitology*; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D033661:Oocysts; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014774:Virulence
keywords: Cryptosporidium parvum; isolates; infectivity; virulence