Cryptosporidiosis or crypto is a highly transmittable intestinal infection. It occurs due to exposure to parasites called “cryptosporidium,” which live in the animals and human intestine and are shed via stool.
You can be infected after coincidentally swallowing the cryptosporidium parasite. This parasite can be found in the water, food, surfaces, or soil that have been infected with the stools from infected animals or humans.
Furthermore, cryptosporidiosis cannot be spread out by exposure to blood. In addition, you may also be infected through:
- Swallowing water from lakes, pools, springs, streams, fountains, rivers, or ponds infected with crypto;
- Placing a contaminated object on your mouth;
- Eating raw foods that are infected with parasites;
- Consuming drinks that are exposed to the stool of infected animals or humans;
- Holding your mouth with infected hands; and
- Exposure to a person’s stool through sexual contact.