Following ingestion of infective Cryptosporidium oocysts by the host, the conditions in the gastrointestinal tract (low pH and body temperature) trigger oocyst excystation and four sporozoites are released (Figure 2A). Ĭryptosporidium oocysts are transmitted between hosts via the faecal-oral route, either directly via contact with faeces from infected hosts, or indirectly through environmental contamination or ingestion of contaminated food or water. Veterinary surveillance reports show cryptosporidiosis has been the main diagnosed cause of enteritis in calves in the UK between 20 (Figure 1). Cryptosporidiosis is now recognised as endemic in cattle worldwide and is one of the most important causes of neonatal enteritis in calves globally.
In 1983, neonatal diarrhoea in experimentally infected calves was reported with Cryptosporidium species as the single infective agent.
This review summarises our current understanding of bovine cryptosporidiosis, with a particular focus on what is currently known about the bovine immune response to this pathogen, and discusses avenues for new research to further our understanding of host-parasite interactions in bovine cryptosporidiosis.Ĭryptosporidiosis was first reported in cattle in the early 1970s, but the observed clinical disease could not be solely attributed to Cryptosporidium as there was evidence of co-infection with other viral and bacterial pathogens. Addressing these important gaps in our understanding of bovine cryptosporidiosis will aid the development of interventions going forward. Unfortunately, relatively few tools are available to combat bovine cryptosporidiosis (no vaccine and one drug of limited utility), and our knowledge of host–pathogen interactions in the bovine host is also very limited. Several species infect cattle and have a significant impact upon animal health and production, especially in young calves. Since then, over 30 species of Cryptosporidium have been described that infect a wide range of host species. Cryptosporidium parvum was first described in 1907 by Edward Ernst Tyzzer in the small intestine of mice.
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