Cyclospora cayetanensis: first imported infections in Germany

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 30, 2026

Purification of Pathogen Vacuoles from Legionella-infected Phagocytes
09:25

Purification of Pathogen Vacuoles from Legionella-infected Phagocytes

Published on: June 19, 2012

F Petry1, J Hofstätter, B K Schulz

  • 1Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz, Germany.

Infection
|May 1, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Cyclospora cayetanensis causes prolonged diarrhea, often mistaken for other infections. Early diagnosis and co-trimoxazole treatment are effective for this emerging enteritis.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Parasitology

Background:

  • Cyclospora cayetanensis, a coccidian species, has been increasingly implicated in enteritis cases over the past decade.
  • Cyclospora infections present with diarrhea clinically indistinguishable from cryptosporidiosis, isosporiasis, and microsporidiosis.
  • Unlike Cryptosporidium and microsporidia, Cyclospora infections are treatable with co-trimoxazole.

Observation:

  • Two female patients (70 and 58 years old) presented with severe, prolonged diarrhea following travel to Singapore, Java, and Bali.
  • Standard microbiological diagnostics did not identify common enteropathogenic bacteria.
  • Modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining of fecal smears revealed Cyclospora cayetanensis oocysts.

Findings:

  • The patients were diagnosed with Cyclospora cayetanensis infection.
  • Prompt administration of co-trimoxazole resulted in effective treatment for both patients.
  • This highlights the diagnostic utility of modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining for Cyclospora.

Implications:

  • Increased awareness of Cyclospora cayetanensis is crucial for patients presenting with prolonged diarrhea after travel to endemic regions.
  • Timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment with co-trimoxazole can prevent prolonged illness and severe weight loss.
  • This case report underscores the importance of considering less common enteropathogens in travelers' diarrhea.

More Related Videos

Studying Cryptosporidium Infection in 3D Tissue-derived Human Organoid Culture Systems by Microinjection05:31

Studying Cryptosporidium Infection in 3D Tissue-derived Human Organoid Culture Systems by Microinjection

Published on: September 14, 2019

Studying Inherited Immunity in a Caenorhabditis elegans Model of Microsporidia Infection09:24

Studying Inherited Immunity in a Caenorhabditis elegans Model of Microsporidia Infection

Published on: April 6, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
Toxoplasmosis01:28

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
Giardiasis01:12

Giardiasis

Giardiasis is a globally prevalent intestinal infection caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis (also known as G. lamblia or G. intestinalis). This flagellated protozoan is the most frequently identified intestinal parasite in the United States and worldwide. Transmission primarily occurs via the fecal-oral route, with infection arising from ingestion of water or food contaminated with cysts. Individuals in low-resource settings, international travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, daycare...
Amebiasis01:28

Amebiasis

Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...