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Epidemiologic differences between cyclosporiasis and cryptosporidiosis in Peruvian children
Caryn Bern1, Ynes Ortega, William Checkley
1Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. cxb9@cdc.gov
Insights
Cyclosporiasis and cryptosporidiosis are common in Peruvian children. Cyclosporiasis reduced diarrhea risk, unlike cryptosporidiosis, with distinct risk factors like animal ownership versus sanitation.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Cyclosporiasis and cryptosporidiosis are significant causes of childhood diarrhea globally.
- Understanding their distinct epidemiologic patterns is crucial for targeted public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the epidemiologic characteristics of cyclosporiasis and cryptosporidiosis in children.
- To identify risk factors and disease burden associated with each infection in a Peruvian community.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study of diarrhea was conducted in a periurban community near Lima, Peru.
- Data on infection episodes, age, seasonality, sanitation, and animal ownership were collected and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Both infections occurred frequently, with similar annual episode rates (0.20 for cyclosporiasis, 0.22 for cryptosporidiosis).
- Cryptosporidiosis incidence peaked in 1-year-olds, while cyclosporiasis incidence remained constant across ages 1-9.
- Cyclosporiasis episodes significantly decreased diarrhea likelihood, whereas cryptosporidiosis did not show a significant association.
- Both were more common in the warm season. Cryptosporidiosis linked to poor sanitation; cyclosporiasis linked to domestic animal ownership (birds, guinea pigs, rabbits).
Conclusions:
- Cyclosporiasis and cryptosporidiosis exhibit different age-specific incidence patterns and associations with diarrhea.
- Distinct risk factors, including sanitation for cryptosporidiosis and animal ownership for cyclosporiasis, highlight the need for tailored prevention strategies.
Abstract:
We compared the epidemiologic characteristics of cyclosporiasis and cryptosporidiosis in data from a cohort study of diarrhea in a periurban community near Lima, Peru. Children had an average of 0.20 episodes of cyclosporiasis/year and 0.22 episodes of cryptosporidiosis/year of follow-up. The incidence of cryptosporidiosis peaked at 0.42 for 1-year-old children and declined to 0.06 episodes/child-year for 5- to 9-year-old children. In contrast, the incidence of cyclosporiasis was fairly constant among 1- to 9-year-old children (0.21 to 0.28 episodes/child-year). Likelihood of diarrhea decreased significantly with each episode of cyclosporiasis; for cryptosporidiosis, this trend was not statistically significant. Both infections were more frequent during the warm season (December to May) than the cooler season (June to November). Cryptosporidiosis was more frequent in children from houses without a latrine or toilet. Cyclosporiasis was associated with ownership of domestic animals, especially birds, guinea pigs, and rabbits.