In immunocompetent hosts, cryptosporidiosis represents a self-limited diarrheal illness that typically lasts less than seven days. Among persons receiving immunosupressive drugs, prolonged clinical symptoms and intestinal shedding may be interrupted by decreasing immunosuppressive therapy. In a recent article, the level of HIV-induced immunosupresion was shown to correlate with the duration of disease 5 . The symptoms of cryptosporidiosis begin five to 14 days after exposure. They typically consist of nausea, vomiting, crampy abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Chronic symptoms can result in malabsorption and severe weight loss.
The diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis is established by the identification of organisms in stool or tissue specimens. They are most economically and commonly identified by modified acid-fast staining. Stool organisms may also be found by sucrose flotation testing. Stool blood or leukocytes are rare, and peripheral blood leukocytosis or eosinophilia is uncommon. The gastrointestinal tract is the organ system most predominantly involved.