Cryptosporidiosis, a threat for human and animal health: new perspectives for control methods
Fabrice Laurent, INRAE Research Director, Deputy Head of Animal Health Division, INRAE-University of Tours, Infectiology and Public Health joint research Unit, France
Cryptosporidiosis consists of acute gastrointestinal infections in immunocompromised people, young children and the disease is aggravated by malnutrition. The disease due to Cryptosporidium parvum infection also affect livestock, leading to important economic losses for farmers and a source of contamination for human.
The susceptibility to infection is closely related to the immune status of its host and therefore strategies strengthening immunity have to be considered with interest. In absence of available vaccine and despite the severity of the diarrheal symptoms, only few treatments are available and their efficacy needs to be improved, especially in people with compromised or immature immune systems.
To enrich the therapeutic antiparasitic arsenal, an effort in the search for new compounds / target pairs is imperative. This knowledge will also provide a better understanding of the resistance mechanisms that might arise from the widespread use of drugs to treat human and veterinary clinical cases.
In addition to a general introduction on the disease, physiopathology and immune responses my presentation will focus on our last research programs seeking for new highly efficient anticryptosporidium compounds.