AIDS-related intestinal cryptosporidiosis: role of nutritional support

HIV-related cryptosporidiosis is an opportunistic parasitic infection that may occur in the advanced phases of the disease in case of severe immunodeficiency. It provokes inflammatory diarrhoea with malabsorption and weight loss. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and nutritional support are the only treatments in the absence of any efficient therapy. In a young woman affected with vertically transmitted HIV infection, cryptosporidiosis induced severe metabolic imbalance and malnutrition. The contemporary presence of other opportunistic diseases such as oral and pharyngeal candidiasis and disseminated cytomegalovirus disease worsened the symptoms and nutritional alterations. Using specific therapies for these pathogens and adequate nutritional support, both metabolic and nutritional alterations and clinical symptoms were resolved, allowing the commencement of HAART for the improvement of cryptosporidiosis.