Question

Case Report # 5 On July 4, 2007, Florida's Central District Health Department (CDHD) received a complaint of several ill persons with watery diarrhea after attendance at a municipal splash park on June 26. Water samples collected from splash features and an adjacent drinking fountain tested positive. The report by Florida Department of Health summarized the investigation of the outbreak and highlights the importance of splash park design, operation, access to hygiene facilities, and public education in prevention of waterborne parasites and other infectious agents. The exposures occurred at a recently constructed splash park located within a municipal park in a suburban community in Florida with a surrounding population of 550,000. Splash parks are increasingly popular venues associated with recreational water illness. The initial investigation by CDHD and CDC began on July 7 with interviews of 20 persons who attended a party at the splash park on June 26. Among those 20 persons, 12 reported gastrointestinal illness that began July 1-6 (6-11 days after exposure), including eight persons who reported watery diarrhea. All 12 ill persons reported exposure to splash-feature water, and six reported exposure to water from a nearby drinking fountain. No food items at the party were implicated as the source of the outbreak. Investigators hypothesized that swallowing contaminated splash park water was the source of illness. A clinical case was defined as the onset of diarrhea (three or more loose stools in 24 hours) or four or more symptoms consistent with gastroenteritis (i.e., abdominal cramps nausea, vomiting, fever, or body aches) in a person within 1-12 days after visiting the municipal park. A confirmed case was defined as illness in a person with a positive IFA stool test result. Oocysts in stool specimens and molecular analysis of the specimens also gave positive test results. Watery diarrhea was the most frequent symptom, and in some patients was accompanied by dehydration, weight loss, abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting. No hospitalizations or deaths associated with illness were reported The following topics should be answered. Type the question and then your answer under the question. Introduce your disease. Include other names, history, researchers who studied it. The microorganism that causes the disease (scientific name where appropriate) Is the causative agent bacterial, viral, protozoan, parasitic (helminthes), or a fungal disease? Characteristics of the microorganism; I. 2. 3. 4. Shape; Genetic Material; Gram staining; acid fast staining; endospore forming: nutrition requirements; environmental conditions (i.e. in which type of environment does the pathogen thrive (ie. oxygen, acid, salt) If your disease is caused by a virus for example, give an overview of its shape, nucleic acid etc. s How does the microorganism cause the disease? Elaborate on the disease. Which organ 6. What are some of the symptoms of the disease? What would occur if there is worsening of 7. What is the mode of transmission or source of the infection (how does a person become 8. How would you confirm the disease (serum, antibodies, diagnostic test ete? Be specific)? 10. What else must be determined about the disease or your particular case study if you choose; 1l. Is this a nationally notifiable disease, or an emerging infectious d system is affected? symptoms? infected)? What medical treatment is recommended and appropriatte? (particulars about the patient history, source of infection, reoccurrence, risk of exposure, etc) 12. What are some statistics of incidence and prevalence of this disease in certain areas of the world as reported by WHO? In the United States reported in MMWR by the CDC Any other information you might find appropriate for your particular disease such as a case study (find on edc gov) and/or up to date research. 14. The last page of your paper should include "Reference page" with resources cit

Answer 1

1.Introduce your disease. include other names, history and researchers who studied it.

The name oft the disease is Cryptosporidiosis the other name of cryptosporidiosis is crypto

History:
Cryptosporidium was first recognized as a cause of disease in 1976. As methods were developed to analyze stool samples, the protozoa was increasingly reported as the cause of human disease. Crypto was first categorized as a veterinary problem because the majority of the early cases were diagnosed in handlers of such farm animals as cows.

The first widely publicized outbreak of Crytpsporidiosis occurred in 1987 in Carrollton, Georgia, where approximately 13000 people became ill with the disease. The source of the outbreak was traced to a contaminated municipal water system. Six years later, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, drinking water was again contaminated, causing approximately 400000 people to become ill.

Cryptosporidiosis was first recognized in 1907 by Edward Tyzzer in the gastric glands of asymptomatic laboratory mice. For nearly 50 years after Tyzzer's initial discovery the protozoan was considered a benign commensal organism. It was not until 1955, when Cryptosporidiosis was discovered in fowl with fatal enteritis that the protozoan was considered a parasite. Since the 1970s, Cryptosporidiosis has been identified in the gastrointestinal or respiratory tract of most species of animals, including mammals, reptiles, birds and fish. Cryptosporidiosis has now entered the forefront of public attention as it has become a lethal threat to immunosuppressed individuals. In the case of HIV, cryptosporidiosis plays the role of an opportunistic infection as it may cause severe dehydration and malnutrition, which may be fatal to the HIV positive patient.

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2. The micro-organism that causes the disease

Cryptosporidiosis is a parasitic infection caused by Cryptosporidium parvum.

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3. Is the causative agent bacterial, viral, protozoan, parasite or a fungal disease?

Cryptosporidium parvum is a parasite

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4.Characteristics of the microorganism

Shape: Spherical in shape

Genetic material : Cryptosporidium parvum is a parasitic protozoan that causes an infectious disease. Its genome sequencing reported 14 bacteria-like proteins in the nuclear genome. Among them, cgd2_1810, which has been annotated as CysQ, a sulfite synthesis pathway protein, is listed as one of the candidates of genes horizontally transferred from bacterial origin. C. parvum CysQ protein had the highest similarity with that of proteobacteria.

Gram stain : Pathogenic Gram-negative organism

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5. How does the microorganism causes the disease? Elaborate on the disease. Which organ system is affected?

Following ingestion (3) or inhalation, excystation occurs which allows the released sporozoites to parasitize epithelial cells (b,c) of the intestines. In these epithelial cells the parasite undergoes asexual expansion (d,e,f) and then sexual reproduction producing microgamonts (male, g) and macrogamonts (female, h). Upon fertilization (i), oocysts form (j,k) that are then able to sporulate in the host. Thick-walled oocysts (j,k) are excreted from the host while thin-walled oocysts (k) are then often involved in autoinfection.

It affect the intestine

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6. What are some of the symptoms of the disease? What would happen if the worsening of symptoms

Symptoms of the disease

Watery diarrhea
Dehydration
Lack of appetite
Weight loss
Stomach cramps or pain
Fever
Nausea
Vomiting

Worsening of symptoms

Malnutrition resulting from poor absorption of nutrients from your intestinal tract (malabsorption)
Severe dehydration
Significant weight loss (wasting)
Inflammation of a bile duct — the passage between your liver, gallbladder and small intestine
Inflammation of your gallbladder, liver or pancreas

7. Mode of transmission

Cryptosporidiosis has a large reservoir, which includes cattle, deer, mice, dogs, cats, and poultry. Cryptosporidia live in the intestine of infected humans or animals. These parasites are passed on through contact with infected feces or through contact with contaminated water, food, soil. There is no documented animal vector for this parasite.