WellChild Research Projects

Screening for asymptomatic Cryptosporidium carriage in susceptible children using immuno-magnetic separation.

Lead Researcher: Dr Angharad Davies, School of Medicine, University of Wales

Grant award sum: £69,581.89

Duration: April 2008 - March 2010

Synopsis: Cryptosporidium is a common parasitic cause of diarrhoea in children worldwide. This represents a particular threat to children from poorer countries where there are problems with clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, and those with serious illnesses e.g. conditions that affect the immune system.  In these children, cryptosporidium causes serious disease (severe cryptosporidiosis) which can be fatal. 

Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) is the name given to a group of rare genetic immunodeficiency disorders which cause serious problems for a child’s immune system from birth.  Children with SCID are at high risk of infections, sometimes with devastating results.  Each year, 50-60 children in the UK with SCID will undergo bone marrow transplantation.

Some of these children will carry cryptosporidium without any symptoms and there is evidence that in children with SCID, this way of carrying the disease - known as 'asymptomatic carriage' can lead to the onset of severe cryptosporidiosis which can be fatal. Early detection of the parasite in these vulnerable children could enable early treatment to prevent them developing this life-threatening disease.

As well as identifying those children at risk, the research will also look at what factors are more likely to result in a child carrying cryptosporidium - for example, contact with animals, attendance at school and foreign travel. It will also build the case for routine screening for carriage of cryptosporidium amongst children under-going bone-marrow transplantation with a view to taking pre-emptive, potentially life-saving, treatment. It is anticipated that up to 100 children will be investigated over two years.