Cryptosporidiosis in the West of Scotland

During the two years 1986 and 1987 83 cases of cryptosporidiosis were identified by the finding of oocysts in the faecal samples submitted to a single microbiology laboratory. There were 58 children and 25 adults. Cryptosporidiosis was the commonest cause of gastrointestinal infection identified in children and the third commonest overall. Spring and autumn peaks were identified. The main symptoms were diarrhoea (median 10 days), vomiting (median seven days), abdominal pain (median seven days) and fever (median three days). A variety of other less common symptoms were noted including reactive arthritis. Three cases occurred during late pregnancy and the puerperium. Contact tracing supported both person-to-person transmission and an animal origin for cases within the group. Cryptosporidiosis is shown to be an important cause of traveller's diarrhoea. The incubation period was from two to 11 days.