Genetic Discovery Will Help Fight Diarrhea Outbreaks, University of East Anglia Study

Researchers at the University of East Anglia have discovered unexpectedly large genetic differences between two similar species of the pathogenic Cryptosporidium parasite. Published June 14 in the journal Evolutionary Applications, the findings pave the way for a new gold standard test to distinguish between the waterborne parasite's two main species affecting humans. One species is spread from person to person (Cryptosporidium hominis) but the other is often spread from livestock to people (Cryptosporidium parvum).