Enterocytes were piled up upon one another and had irregular cytoplasmic foldings, increased cytoplasmic volume, and increased numbers of cytoplasmic organelles. Nuclei of hyperplastic enterocytes were markedly enlarged and pale with prominent electron dense nucleoli Figure 3. Leopard gecko small intestine with Cryptosporidium sp. Electron micrograph demonstrating Cryptosporidium sp. Organisms are associated with loss of microvilli and formation of a pedestal.
Lymphocytes are present among hyperplastic enterocytes.
Discussion Cryptosporidium is an apicomplexan parasite found predominantly within the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract of many classes of animals including mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. In mammals, Cryptosporidium infections involve the gastrointestinal tract and are associated with clinical signs including profuse watery diarrhea, dehydration, anorexia and weight loss. Young animals and immune compromised animals are more susceptible to infection. The organisms are found in the small intestine associated with villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia, focal epithelial cell necrosis and mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrates. In birds, Cryptosporidium infections are found in both the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts with respiratory infections being much more common.