Microscopy and Microanalysis

Table of Contents - 2004 - Volume 10, Issue 05  


Feature Articles

Structural Analysis of Cryptosporidium parvum

Franz  Petry  a1 c1
a1 Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany

Article author query
petry f   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

Cryptosporidium parvum (Apicomplexa, formerly Sporozoa) is the causative agent of cryptosporidiosis, an enteric disease of substantial medical and veterinary importance. C. parvum shows a number of unique features that differ from the rest of the class of coccidea in which it is currently grouped taxonomically. Differences occur in the overall structure of the transmission form and the invasive stages of the parasite, its intracellular location, the presence of recently described additional extracellular stages, the host range and target cell tropism, the ability to autoinfection, the nonresponsiveness to anticoccidial drugs, the immune response of the host, and immunochemical and genetic characteristics. These differences have an important impact on the infectivity, the epidemiology, the therapy, and the taxonomy of the parasite. The present article describes the structural analysis of the parasite using light and electron microscopy with an emphasis on structural details unique to C. parvum.

(Received January 6 2003)
(Accepted April 11 2003)


Key Words: Cryptosporidium; Apicomplexa; ultrastructure; transmission electron microscopy; immunogold labeling; antibody; in vitro culture; subcellular fractionation.

Correspondence:
c1 E-mail: fpetry@mail.uni-mainz.de