A research team from the University of Dundee is investigating Cryptosporidium—a waterborne parasite that resists common household cleaning products and poses serious risks to both public health and the farming industry. Dr Mattie Christine Pawlowic, a Principal Investigator and Sir Henry Dale Fellow at the university’s School of Life Sciences, is leading the study with support from a Wellcome Career Development Award.
Cryptosporidium is protected by a tough shell that resists many standard disinfection methods. Dr Pawlowic explained, “Cryptosporidium is protected by a shell, but we know very little about how it is so protective.” According to her, the parasite has a mechanism similar to a coin purse with a zipper-like structure. “It uses a microscopic structure that acts like a zipper. When the zipper opens, the parasites ‘hatch’ out of the shell. In our new research project, we are working to understand how the parasites open that coin purse at the right time and in the right conditions,” she said. Dr Pawlowic added, “Cleaning products in supermarkets claim to kill 99.9% of germs, Cryptosporidium is the 0.1% they cannot touch.”
The parasite poses a particular challenge because standard water treatment methods such as chlorination cannot eradicate it. Instead, costly interventions like boiling, ultraviolet light, or specialized filtration systems are required to ensure its removal from water supplies. The parasite can cause chronic diarrhoea, a condition that can be fatal—especially in children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. The World Health Organization has identified diarrhoea as the third-leading cause of death in children under 60 months.
In addition to affecting human health, Cryptosporidium threatens the welfare of the UK farming industry. Infections in livestock, often transmitted via contact with infected animals or contaminated water, can result in significant economic losses. A breakthrough announced last year by Dr Pawlowic’s team, in collaboration with the Drug Discovery Unit and researchers from the University of Vermont, identified two drug molecules that yielded promising results in controlling the infection in calves. However, further research is needed before these findings can bring effective, widespread solutions.
“With outbreaks, the ramifications for people are significant and it becomes headline news,” Dr Pawlowic noted. “Similarly, the health of cattle and the economic impact of that is vital to the UK. We cannot be complacent about a parasite that is so prevalent in this country, so further research is crucial if we are to protect our public and our farmers.”
The University of Dundee continues to lead in cryptosporidiosis research, striving to develop new medicines and deepen scientific understanding of the parasite’s survival mechanisms. More information about the research project is available on the university website.