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This proposal is focused on determining how two proteins, gp40 and gp15, which are present on the surface of the parasite enable Cryptosporidium to infect cells in the intestine. The long-term goal is to determine if methods can be developed to prevent the parasite from infecting intestinal cells by blocking the action of these proteins. A major goal is to determine if these proteins or the DNA which encodes them can be used to develop vaccines or drugs which can prevent or treat cryptosporidial infection in humans as well as in animals such as newborn calves, lambs and kids.
Cryptosporidium is an intestinal parasite that commonly infects animals of agricultural importance such as calves, lambs, goat kids, piglets, foals and poultry and is a major cause of diarrheal disease in newborn animals. In addition, environmental contamination by infected animals can lead to transmission of the parasite to humans resulting in severe illness in immunocompromised individuals such as AIDS patients. There is currently no effective vaccine or treatment approved for this disease. The overall goal of this project is to further our understanding of how this parasite infects intestinal cells, in order to develop methods to prevent and treat the disease. This proposal is focused on determining how two proteins, gp40 and gp15, which are present on the surface of the parasite enable Cryptosporidium to infect cells in the intestine. The long-term goal is to determine if methods can be developed to prevent the parasite from infecting intestinal cells by blocking the action of these proteins. A major goal is to determine if these proteins or the DNA which encodes them can be used to develop vaccines or drugs which can prevent or treat cryptosporidial infection in humans as well as in animals such as newborn calves, lambs and kids. Developing vaccines or drugs for cryptosporidial infection would be of great importance in contributing to the health and well-being of animals of agricultural importance, in reducing the economic impact of the disease and in preventing environmental contamination with this parasite and transmission to humans or other animals.