What are the symptoms of cryptosporidiosis?
The following are the most common symptoms of cryptosporidiosis. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include: • diarrhea • loose or watery stools • stomach cramps • a slight fever Some persons do not present any symptoms. If symptoms are present, they often last about two weeks and then you may feel better. However, you continue to pass the parasite in your stool for up to two months, and during this period you may spread the infection to others.
The most common symptoms are watery diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Vomiting, low-grade fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, and dehydration may occur. In persons with healthy immune systems, symptoms may last about 1 to 2 weeks. In persons with weakened immune systems, especially persons with HIV/AIDS, the infection may lead to prolonged illness. Some people infected with Cryptosporidium may not have any symptoms.
Some individuals infected with Cryptosporidium have no symptoms. Others may have diarrhea with loose or watery stool, stomach cramps, upset stomach, and a slight fever. How soon do symptoms occur? Symptoms usually appear 2 to 10 days after becoming infected with Cryptosporidium. How long will symptoms last? Symptoms usually last about 2 weeks. Symptoms may seem to get better, then worse. Cryptosporidium continues to be passed in the stool of an infected person for up to 2 months after the patient begins to feel better. During this 2 month period the individual may spread the infection to others if his/her personal hygiene is not good. How is Cryptosporidiosis diagnosed? Your doctor will ask you to submit stool specimens to see if you are infected. Because testing for Cryptosporidium infection can be difficult, you may be asked to submit several stool specimens over several days. Identification of this parasite in stool requires special laboratory tests that are not routinely done. Ther
The most common symptom of cryptosporidiosis is watery, non-bloody diarrhea lasting 7-20 days. The diarrhea is often accompanied by abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever, headache, and/or loss of appetite. These symptoms are not specific to cryptosporidiosis and may be symptoms of other diseases. Generally, the disease is mild and people recover within one to three weeks. However, the disease can be severe, chronic, and even fatal for people with severely weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS and cancer and transplant patients taking immunosuppressive drugs. If you have a severely weakened immune system, or your water system or local health authority has given you notice that a water treatment problem exists, then you may wish to boil your water vigorously for one minute before using it. Alternatively, you may wish to purchase bottled water or use a home treatment unit that is designed to remove Cryptosporidium.
Symptoms of cryptosporidiosis vary from person to person. Some people who are infected do not have symptoms, while others may have watery diarrhea, headache, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting or a slight fever. The first symptoms usually appear two to 10 days after infection, and in otherwise healthy people, usually last one to two weeks.
