Cryptosporidiosis
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Fact sheet - Health conditions directory
Cryptosporidiosis, often called 'crypto', is an intestinal infection caused by the microscopic parasite Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidiosis occurs worldwide and is a common cause of acute diarrhoea in young children. As well as infecting humans, Cryptosporidium parvum occurs in a variety of animals including cattle, sheep, dogs and cats. In people with normal immune systems the disease is generally not serious. Cryptosporidium hominis also causes infection in humans. However, people with weakened immune systems (e.g. some people receiving cancer treatment, people on steroid therapy and people with HIV/AIDS) may develop severe and long lasting illness. The disease tends to be more common during the warmer months.
Community outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis have been attributed to contaminated water supplies, recreational water supplies (swimming pools) and child/day care centres.
Public health management guidelines
Notification
Pathology laboratories
Notification resources
- List of all Pathological, clinical and provisional diagnosis notifiable conditions
- List of Public Health Unit contacts
- Notifiable conditions report form for Queensland doctors/clinicians (PHA S70) or person in charge of a Hospital (PHA S71) (PDF, 77kB) - if faxing notification, follow up by phone.
Enhanced surveillance for Public Health Units
- Case report form (PDF, 140kB) - used by public health units to collect and manage more detailed information for enhanced case surveillance.