We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
A case presentation of gastrointestinal cryptosporidiosis in an immuno-compromised host.
- Authors
Sellen, L. David; Hongming Qiu
- Abstract
Objective: To present a recent case of gastrointestinal cryptosporidium infection originally diagnosed on biopsy and highlight how it can be differentiated from other opportunistic gastrointestinal pathogens by microscopic examination. Methods: Case report Results: The patient is a 48-year-old female with HIV and associated cholangitis who presented with watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, weakness, malaise, and a 15kg weight loss getting progressively worse over a two-week period. Patient received gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy with biopsies of gastric, duodenal, jejunal, ileal and colonic mucosa. On microscopic examination, the mucosa from stomach and small intestine shows increased lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate in lamina propria. There is abundant 2-5µm basophilic spherical structures attached to luminal surface of crypts and epithelial surface consistent with cryptosporidium. Biopsies from colonic mucosa are within normal limits. Afterwards patient had stool culture which is positive for cryptosporidium. Patient was then treated with Nitazoxamide. Conclusion: Cryptosporidium is a parasite that can infect the GI tract and is one of the most common water-born parasitic pathogens. It is commonly a self-limited disease in the general population. In immunosuppressed individuals the disease can be much more severe and difficult to treat. The organisms are most common in the small intestine but it may infect any segment of GI tract. The organisms are 2-5µm basophilic spherical structures and are located at the apex of the enterocytes. Despite being a common infection, it is rarely seen by pathologists as it is often diagnosed on stool sample cultures. This case report will highlight morphological features of cryptosporidium on GI biopsy specimen and how to differentiate from other opportunistic pathogens the pathologist may come across.
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Pathology, 2016, Vol 8, p38
- ISSN
1918-915X
- Publication type
Article