Infección por Cryptosporidium parvum en una mujer embarazada, inmunocompetente, con riesgo ocupacional

Abstract

Cryptosporidioses is a parasitic zoonoses generated by diverse Cryptosporidium species. This coccidiosis affects multiple vertebrate species, including human beings. In Chile, as it happens in other countries, cryptosporidioses is a low frequency infection in immunocompetent individuals, acquiring a big relevance in immunocompromised ones. We present the following case: a recently graduated student from Veterinary medical school, with a 20 week pregnancy, living in “Laguna Verde” area in the Region of Valparaiso and who was infected with Cryptosporidium sp. Etiologic diagnosis was made by Ziehl Neelsen, and nested PCR followed by PCR product sequencing. During the same period, the infection was detected in her cats which were asymptomatic. In all of them, her and the cats, the species identifi ed was Cryptosporidium parvum. Her husband and her other pets were all asymptomatic and non infected. This is the fi rst report of a possible cryptosporidioses transmission between humans and cat.