Respiratory and enteric cryptosporidiosis in humans

Abstract

A 24-year-old homosexual man with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome presented with intractable diarrhea and fever. Examination of a rectal biopsy specimen and stool revealed Cryptosporidium. Approximately 4 months after admission he developed respiratory failure and died. Postmortem examination revealed cryptosporidiosis involving the entire gastrointestinal tract as well as the tracheobronchial tree. To our knowledge, this is one of the rare presented cases of tracheobronchial cryptosporidiosis documented histologically.