Cryptosporidiosis, or “Crypto,” is a diarrheal disease most frequently caused by contaminated water in pools or water playgrounds, contact with infected cattle, and contact with sick people in childcare settings. The annual number of reported Crypto outbreaks in the United States increased an average of 13% each year during 2009–2017.
Health departments can use CDC’s CryptoNet—the first molecular tracking system for parasitic infections—to better detect Crypto outbreaks and identify what caused them.