This product recognizes a membrane antigen expressed by the oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp., an obligate intracellular parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa. The genome of Cryptosporidium sp. is one of the smallest among unicellular eukaryotic organisms.

Cryptosporidium is one of several species that cause cryptosporidiosis; a disease affecting the intestines of mammals which is spread through the faecal-oral route. The main symptom is self-limiting diarrhoea in people with intact immune systems. However, in immunocompromised individuals, such as AIDS patients, infection can cause permanent & life-threatening diarrhoea. Cryptosporidiosis is one of the most common waterborne diseases worldwide.

Cryptosporidium