Prognostic Role of Tissue Eosinophilia in Cryptosporidium parvum-Induced Pathological Changes

Abdelmaksoud, Hagar; Elashkar, Ayman; Fouad, Rabab

doi:10.33899/ijvs.2026.169839.4706

	Prognostic Role of Tissue Eosinophilia in Cryptosporidium parvum-Induced Pathological Changes
Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences
Volume 40, Issue 3, July 2026, Pages 621-629 PDF (1.17 M)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.33899/ijvs.2026.169839.4706
Authors
Hagar Abdelmaksoud^* ¹; Ayman Elashkar²; Rabab Fouad³
¹Department of Parasitology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt,
²Department of Microorganisms and Clinical Parasitology, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha, Saudi Arabia
³Department of haematology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt,
Abstract
Cryptosporidium parvum has been implicated as a potential contributor to colorectal cancer (CRC), particularly in immunocompromised hosts. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of tissue eosinophilia in C. parvum-induced pathological changes. Fifty female, immunosuppressed white Albino mice were divided into 5 groups: 10 mice each. GI was the negative control, GII-GV were infected with C. parvum oocysts in the following pattern: GII and GIII were positive control groups. GVI and GV were infected with 100 and 1000 C. parvum oocysts per week for 90 days, respectively. Parasitological examination of mice feces, histopathological examination of liver, lung, spleen, ileocaecal sections, and assessment of peripheral blood eosinophilia were performed. No statistically significant difference (P >0.05) between the test and the corresponding control groups at the 10th and 60th dpi regarding the number of oocysts in the feces of the study mice, whereas a highly statistically significant difference (P <0.01) between the test and the corresponding control groups at the 30th and 90th dpi. The infection triggered a strong systemic immune response characterized by significant eosinophilia. However, the outcome was organ-specific: The liver successfully contained and resolved the infection. The lung and spleen failed to resolve, developing chronic and even worsening pathology. Ileocaecal sections showed progress from marked inflammatory infiltrates to focal surface ulceration, then low-grade dysplasia. The highest leucocytic and eosinophilic responses were observed in GV, followed by GIV, indicating a clear dose-dependent inflammatory reaction. Tissue eosinophilia should be considered as a potential prognostic marker for immunopathology of cryptosporidiosis.
Keywords
C. parvum; prognostic; dysplastic changes; eosinophilia

Statistics Article View: 180 PDF Download: 98