Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo 2012 Volume 140, Issue 9-10, Pages: 653-657
https://doi.org/10.2298/SARH1210653G
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Family outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in Serbia: Case report
Gvozdenović Eleonora (Klinika za infektivne i tropske bolesti, Klinički centar Srbije, Beograd + Medicinski fakultet, Beograd)
Mitrović Nikola (Klinika za infektivne i tropske bolesti, Klinički centar Srbije, Beograd)
Dakić Zorica (Služba za mikrobiologiju, Odsek za parazitologiju, Klinički centar Srbije, Beograd)
Stojković-Švirtlih Neda (Klinika za infektivne i tropske bolesti, Klinički centar Srbije, Beograd + Medicinski fakultet, Beograd)
Dulović Olga (Klinika za infektivne i tropske bolesti, Klinički centar Srbije, Beograd + Medicinski fakultet, Beograd)
Introduction. Cryptosporidiosis is an acute infectious parasitic disease of
the gastrointestinal tract, considered as zoonosis underestimated in
immunocompetent population. The pathogen is primarily the cause of
devastating diarrhea in AIDS patients. Solitary cases and small outbreaks in
immunocompetent persons are rarely discovered. There is also a human strain
of cryptosporidium. Case Outline. In December 2010, we examined three family
members among whom each successively developed acute gastroenteritis. Their
stools were liquid, light brown, without mucus or blood. All of them had
abdominal cramps and generalized muscle pains. The daughter had fever and
vomited during the first two days. The patients were administered symptomatic
therapy. Complaints resolved after 10-17 days, with general condition
moderately changed. Cryptosporidium was confirmed in the stool of patients
who were second and third to contract the disease. We presumed that the first
person released pathogen before the time of examination, although she still
had diarrhea. All of them recovered completely. By epidemiologic survey we
were unable to presume with certainty the source of infection. Conclusion.
This is the first description of cryptosporidiosis in immunocompetent
individuals in Serbia, which proves that it is present in our country, and
that search for it should be included into a routine parasitological check-up
of stool. Taking into account the distance in onset time complaints, all
combinations are possible; from infection among family members (shortest
incubation period) to family members infected from an identical source
(different incubation period). Negative finding of the sample collected on
the 7th day from the beginning of symptoms does not exclude the diagnosis in
this particular situation. Further epidemiologic studies of this disease are
necessary as it is clear that it exists in our population. At that moment we
were unable to do typization.
Keywords: cryptosporidiosis, family outbreak, parasitosis, nitazoxanid