cryptosporidium

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noun

Any protozoan of the genus Cryptosporidium, intestinal parasites of humans and other vertebrates that can cause diarrhea and other symptoms in cases of low immunity.

Less commonScrabble 27

Meanings

nouncryptosporidium (plural cryptosporidia)

plural cryptosporidia

  1. Any protozoan of the genus Cryptosporidium, intestinal parasites of humans and other vertebrates that can cause diarrhea and other symptoms in cases of low immunity.

    Recall the outbreak of cryptosporidia gastroenteritis in Milwaukee in 1994.

    1998, Richard M. Krause, “1: Introduction to Emerging Infectious Diseases; Stemming the Tide”, in Richard M. Krause, editor, Emerging Infections, Academic Press, page 9
    2 more examples

    In Hungarian studies on the causes of diarrhea in kids younger than one month of age in large commercial dairy goat herds, cryptosporidia were isolated more frequently than rotavirus, coronavirus, adenovirus, or enterotoxigenic E. coli.

    2009, Mary C. Smith, David M. Sherman, Goat Medicine, 2nd edition, Wiley (Wiley-Blackwell), page 438

    2020, Alexandra F. Freeman, Steven M. Holland, 53: Prevention and management of infections, Kathleen E. Sullivan, E. Richard Stiehm (editors), Stiehm's Immune Deficiencies: Inborn Errors of Immunity, Elsevier (Academic Press), 2nd Edition, page 1122, Disorders associated with cryptosporidia include CD40 ligand deficiency, DOCK8 deficiency and IL-21 receptor deficiency.

Origin

  1. Latincrypto-“hidden”
  2. translingualCryptosporidium
  3. Englishcryptosporidium

From translingual Cryptosporidium (the genus name), from Latin crypto- (“hidden”) + sporidium (“spore”). From 20th century.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

cryptosporidium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cryptosporidium

MLA

“cryptosporidium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cryptosporidium. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cryptosporidium,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cryptosporidium.

Source: cryptosporidium on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.