Microbiology, parasitology & COVID-19
Parasites-gastrointestinal (not liver)
Cryptosporidium
Author: Nat Pernick, M.D.
Last author update: 2 July 2019
Last staff update: 18 June 2021
Copyright: 2019-2023, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Cryptosporidium[TI] pathology free full text[sb]
See Also: Colon nontumor, Lung nontumor, Small intestine
Table of Contents
Case reports | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Immunohistochemistry & special stainsCite this page: Pernick N. Cryptosporidium. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/parasitologycryptosporidium.html. Accessed June 1st, 2023.
Case reports
- 15 year old boy returns from swimming camp with several day history of profuse watery diarrhea (Pritt: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites Blog - Case of the Week 543 [Accessed 1 July 2019])
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts measure 4 - 6 micrometers in diameter (Pritt: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites Blog - Answer to Case 543 [Accessed 1 July 2019])
Microscopic (histologic) images
Contributed by Bobbi Pritt, M.D. and Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp
Negative fuchsine staining according to Heine
Ziehl-Neelsen staining
Images hosted on other servers:
Oocysts: auramine-rhodamine stain
Immunohistochemistry & special stains
- Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts are red-pink using a modified acid fast stain (Pritt: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites Blog - Answer to Case 543 [Accessed 1 July 2019])
- Not all oocysts will reliably stain; some may appear as ghost cells or negative outlines
- Modified safranin stain can also be used and may more reliably stain the oocysts
