Epidemiology of Infection in Romania: A Review

Overview

Journal Microorganisms

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2023 Jul 29

PMID 37512965

Authors

Gheorghe Darabus

Maria Alina Lupu

Narcisa Mederle

Rodica Georgiana Darabus

Kalman Imre

Ovidiu Mederle

Mirela Imre

Ana Alexandra Paduraru

Sorin Morariu

Tudor Rares Olariu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Since 1983, when the first report of a human spp. infection was published in Romania, and until now, many studies on cryptosporidiosis have been published in our country, but most of them are in the Romanian language and in national journals less accessible to international scientific databases. Although the infection was first recognized as a problem in children or immunocompromised people or more of a problem in low-income or underdeveloped global countries, we have shown in this review that it can also occur in people with normal immunological function and that the epidemiology of our country can provide a theoretical basis for the formulation of a spp. prevention strategy. In addition, 9.1% of healthy children and 73% of immunocompromised children were observed to have spp. infections. Higher rates have also been reported in immunocompromised adults (1.8-50%). Analyzing the prevalence of spp. infection in animals, we found values of 28.52% in cattle, 18% in buffalo calves, between 27.8 and 60.4% in pigs, 52.7% in dogs, and 29.4% in cats. Furthermore, in Romania, the burden of cryptosporidiosis, including acute infections and long-term sequelae, is currently unknown.

Citing Articles

Gut Barrier Dysfunction and Microbiota Variations in Cryptosporidiosis: A Comprehensive Review.

Ali M, Xu C, Wang M, Hina Q, Ji Y, Anwar S Vet Sci. 2025; 12(2).

PMID: 40005845 PMC: 11861801. DOI: 10.3390/vetsci12020085.

Prevalence and Genotyping of Water- and Food-Borne Parasitic Protozoans ( and spp.) in Hospitalized Patients from Northwestern Romania.

Ionica A, Ieremia A, Kalmar Z, Lupse M, Flonta M, Muntean M Microorganisms. 2024; 12(4).

PMID: 38674706 PMC: 11052221. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040762.

Stable expression of mucin glycoproteins GP40 and GP15 of Cryptosporidium parvum in Toxoplasma gondii.

Li M, Sun X, Chen H, Li N, Feng Y, Xiao L Parasit Vectors. 2024; 17(1):65.

PMID: 38360646 PMC: 10870685. DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06159-y.

Anti-Cryptosporidial Drug-Discovery Challenges and Existing Therapeutic Avenues: A "One-Health" Concern.

Ali M, Xu C, Nawaz S, Ahmed A, Hina Q, Li K Life (Basel). 2024; 14(1).

PMID: 38255695 PMC: 10820218. DOI: 10.3390/life14010080.

Evidence of the Zoonotic Transmission of among Children and Pets.

Coelho N, Coelho W, Gomes J, Meireles M, Nagata W, de Lima V Pathogens. 2023; 12(12).

PMID: 38133278 PMC: 10747799. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12121393.

References

Ryan U, Feng Y, Fayer R, Xiao L . Taxonomy and molecular epidemiology of Cryptosporidium and Giardia - a 50 year perspective (1971-2021). Int J Parasitol. 2021; 51(13-14):1099-1119. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.08.007. View

Ahmed S, Karanis P . Comparison of current methods used to detect Cryptosporidium oocysts in stools. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2018; 221(5):743-763. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.04.006. View

Luka G, Samiei E, Tasnim N, Dalili A, Najjaran H, Hoorfar M . Comprehensive review of conventional and state-of-the-art detection methods of Cryptosporidium. J Hazard Mater. 2021; 421:126714. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126714. View

Brannan D, Greenfield R, OWEN W, Welch D, Kuhls T . Protozoal colonization of the intestinal tract in institutionalized Romanian children. Clin Infect Dis. 1996; 22(3):456-61. DOI: 10.1093/clinids/22.3.456. View

Smith R, Clifton-Hadley F, Cheney T, Giles M . Prevalence and molecular typing of Cryptosporidium in dairy cattle in England and Wales and examination of potential on-farm transmission routes. Vet Parasitol. 2014; 204(3-4):111-9. PMC: 7115801. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.05.022. View

Helmy Y, Hafez H . Cryptosporidiosis: From Prevention to Treatment, a Narrative Review. Microorganisms. 2022; 10(12). PMC: 9782356. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122456. View

Khan A, Shams S, Khan S, Khan M, Khan S, Ali A . Evaluation of prevalence and risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium infection in rural population of district Buner, Pakistan. PLoS One. 2019; 14(1):e0209188. PMC: 6314602. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209188. View

PANAITESCU D, Capraru T, Bugarin V . Study of the incidence of intestinal and systemic parasitoses in a group of children with handicaps. Roum Arch Microbiol Immunol. 1995; 54(1-2):65-74. View

Gerace E, Presti V, Biondo C . Infection: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Differential Diagnosis. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp). 2020; 9(4):119-123. PMC: 6945992. DOI: 10.1556/1886.2019.00019. View

10.

Thomson S, Hamilton C, Hope J, Katzer F, Mabbott N, Morrison L . Bovine cryptosporidiosis: impact, host-parasite interaction and control strategies. Vet Res. 2017; 48(1):42. PMC: 5553596. DOI: 10.1186/s13567-017-0447-0. View

11.

Lazar L, Radulescu S . Cryptosporidiosis in children and adults: parasitological and clinico-epidemiological features. Arch Roum Pathol Exp Microbiol. 1989; 48(4):357-65. View

12.

Baies M, Boros Z, Gherman C, Spinu M, Mathe A, Pataky S . Prevalence of Swine Gastrointestinal Parasites in Two Free-Range Farms from Nord-West Region of Romania. Pathogens. 2022; 11(9). PMC: 9506248. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11090954. View

13.

Pane S, Putignani L . : Still Open Scenarios. Pathogens. 2022; 11(5). PMC: 9143492. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11050515. View

14.

Imre K, Luca C, Costache M, Sala C, Morar A, Morariu S . Zoonotic Cryptosporidium parvum in Romanian newborn lambs (Ovis aries). Vet Parasitol. 2012; 191(1-2):119-22. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.08.020. View

15.

Constantiniu S, Avram G, Ambarus A, Zavate O . Studies of bacterial, rotaviral and Cryptosporidium etiology of acute diarrheal diseases in hospitalized children. Roum Arch Microbiol Immunol. 1991; 50(1):53-60. View

16.

Plutzer J, Lassen B, Jokelainen P, Djurkovic-Djakovic O, Kucsera I, Dorbek-Kolin E . Review of and in the eastern part of Europe, 2016. Euro Surveill. 2018; 23(4). PMC: 5801338. DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.4.16-00825. View

17.

Omolabi K, Odeniran P, Soliman M . A meta-analysis of species in humans from southern Africa (2000-2020). J Parasit Dis. 2021; 46(1):304-316. PMC: 8371598. DOI: 10.1007/s12639-021-01436-4. View

18.

Barburas D, Cozma V, Ionica A, Abbas I, Barburas R, Mircean V . Intestinal parasites of buffalo calves from Romania: molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis, and the first report of Eimeria bareillyi. Folia Parasitol (Praha). 2022; 69. DOI: 10.14411/fp.2022.015. View

19.

Li X, Geng H, Wei Y, Yan W, Liu J, Wei X . Global prevalence and risk factors of infection in : A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2022; 12:1072385. PMC: 9732577. DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1072385. View

20.

Zuo M, Li X, Xu R, Sun W, Elsheikha H, Cong W . Global prevalence and factors affecting the level of Cryptosporidium contamination in soil: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Sci Total Environ. 2023; 891:164286. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164286. View