Nosocomial transmission of Cryptosporidium in a veterinary hospital.
Abstract: An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis occurred at a veterinary hospital, involving multiple species, including humans. The index case was an infected dairy calf that presented with diarrhea. Several other cases of cryptosporidial diarrhea subsequently developed during a 1-month period. The key features of this outbreak were the multiple species affected, the increased morbidity in immunocompromised neonates, and the failure of implemented control measures to contain the disease.
Publication Date: 1998-02-21 PubMed ID: 9470158DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.1997.tb00477.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research discusses an instance of a Cryptosporidium outbreak in a veterinary hospital that affected several species, including humans. The outbreak started with an infected dairy calf and couldn’t be contained despite control measures.
Overview of the Research
- This research is an epidemiological case study that examines a specific incidence of an outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis, an infection caused by a microscopic parasite, Cryptosporidium, in a veterinary hospital. Cryptosporidium can infect both animals and humans, and it commonly causes diarrheal disease.
- The research paper delves into the nature and progression of this outbreak, which affected multiple species, including humans, mainly manifested through diarrhea. It covers the duration, number of cases, the treatments initiated, and their subsequent success or failure.
Details of the Outbreak
- The index case, or the first identified instance of the outbreak, came from a dairy calf that was suffering from diarrhea. Following this, over the course of one month, several similar cases came to the fore, suggesting an ongoing outbreak of the disease.
- An important feature of this outbreak was the species variation it included. The Cryptosporidium affected not just one species but wide-ranging ones, including humans. This showed the highly contagious nature of the parasite and its ability to cross species barriers.
Inadequacy of Control Measures
- The research importantly points out that despite implementation of control measures, the spread of the disease could not be contained effectively. This raises concerns over the efficacy of standard control measures and their relevance in such an outbreak scenario.
- This failure also spotlights the need for research on enhanced or additional tactics and strategies to control such outbreaks more effectively, especially in closed environments like a hospital.
Special Vulnerability of Immunocompromised Neonates
- An interesting and critical observation made during the outbreak was that there was heightened morbidity among immunocompromised neonates, i.e., newborns with weakened immune systems were particularly susceptible to the disease.
- This finding indicates the extra care and precautions that need to be taken in case of such susceptible populations when dealing with communicable diseases like Cryptosporidiosis.
Cite This Article
APA
Konkle DM, Nelson KM, Lunn DP.
(1998).
Nosocomial transmission of Cryptosporidium in a veterinary hospital.
J Vet Intern Med, 11(6), 340-343.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.1997.tb00477.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases
- Cross Infection / transmission
- Cross Infection / veterinary
- Cryptosporidiosis / therapy
- Cryptosporidiosis / transmission
- Cryptosporidiosis / veterinary
- Cryptosporidium / isolation & purification
- Cryptosporidium parvum / isolation & purification
- Diarrhea / microbiology
- Diarrhea / veterinary
- Euthanasia
- Feces / microbiology
- Female
- Horse Diseases
- Horses
- Hospital Design and Construction
- Hospitals, Animal
- Humans
- Immunocompromised Host
- Male
- Parenteral Nutrition, Total
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Adam-Poupart A, Drapeau LM, Bekal S, Germain G, Irace-Cima A, Sassine MP, Simon A, Soto J, Thivierge K, Tissot F. Occupations at risk of contracting zoonoses of public health significance in Québec.. Can Commun Dis Rep 2021 Jan 29;47(1):47-58.
- Fürnkranz U, Walochnik J. Nosocomial Infections: Do Not Forget the Parasites!. Pathogens 2021 Feb 19;10(2).
- Churak A, Poolkhet C, Tamura Y, Sato T, Fukuda A, Thongratsakul S. Evaluation of nosocomial infections through contact patterns in a small animal hospital using social network analysis and genotyping techniques.. Sci Rep 2021 Jan 18;11(1):1647.
- Sánchez A, Prats-van der Ham M, Tatay-Dualde J, Paterna A, de la Fe C, Gómez-Martín Á, Corrales JC, Contreras A. Zoonoses in Veterinary Students: A Systematic Review of the Literature.. PLoS One 2017;12(1):e0169534.
- Webb LM, Tubach SA, Hunt DC. Outbreak of cryptosporidiosis among responders to a rollover of a truck carrying calves - Kansas, April 2013.. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2014 Dec 19;63(50):1185-8.
- Croft DR, Sotir MJ, Williams CJ, Kazmierczak JJ, Wegner MV, Rausch D, Graham MB, Foldy SL, Wolters M, Damon IK, Karem KL, Davis JP. Occupational risks during a monkeypox outbreak, Wisconsin, 2003.. Emerg Infect Dis 2007 Aug;13(8):1150-7.
- Kiang KM, Scheftel JM, Leano FT, Taylor CM, Belle-Isle PA, Cebelinski EA, Danila R, Smith KE. Recurrent outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis associated with calves among students at an educational farm programme, Minnesota, 2003.. Epidemiol Infect 2006 Aug;134(4):878-86.
- Roy SL, DeLong SM, Stenzel SA, Shiferaw B, Roberts JM, Khalakdina A, Marcus R, Segler SD, Shah DD, Thomas S, Vugia DJ, Zansky SM, Dietz V, Beach MJ. Risk factors for sporadic cryptosporidiosis among immunocompetent persons in the United States from 1999 to 2001.. J Clin Microbiol 2004 Jul;42(7):2944-51.
- Majewska AC, Solarczyk P, Tamang L, Graczyk TK. Equine Cryptosporidium parvum infections in western Poland.. Parasitol Res 2004 Jul;93(4):274-8.
- Herwaldt BL. Laboratory-acquired parasitic infections from accidental exposures.. Clin Microbiol Rev 2001 Oct;14(4):659-88, table of contents.
- Cole D, Todd L, Wing S. Concentrated swine feeding operations and public health: a review of occupational and community health effects.. Environ Health Perspect 2000 Aug;108(8):685-99.
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