RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Cryptosporidium spp surveillance and epidemiology in Ireland: a longitudinal cohort study employing duplex real-time PCR based speciation of clinical cases JF Journal of Clinical Pathology JO J Clin Pathol FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists SP 758 OP 761 DO 10.1136/jclinpath-2020-206479 VO 73 IS 11 A1 O'Leary, Jennifer K A1 Blake, Liam A1 Corcoran, Dan A1 Elwin, Kristin A1 Chalmers, Rachel A1 Lucey, Brigid A1 Sleator, Roy D YR 2020 UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/73/11/758.abstract AB Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of gastroenteritis (cryptosporidiosis), with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Irish cryptosporidiosis incidence rates are consistently the highest reported in Europe. A retrospective, longitudinal study of clinical Cryptosporidium isolates was conducted from 2015 to 2018 in Cork, southern Ireland. Overall, 86.5% of cases were attributed to C. parvum, while the remaining 13.5% were caused by C. hominis. Despite the widespread implications of this protozoan parasite in sporadic and outbreak-related illness in Ireland, the current dearth of species-level epidemiological surveillance and clinical studies needs to be addressed in order to elucidate the national impact of this enteric pathogen.