{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:26:30Z","timestamp":1760059590904,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,24]],"date-time":"2025-06-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1750723200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Victor Babe\u0219 University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timi\u0219oara"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: This study aimed to identify and analyze the risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium infection in hospitalized patients in western Romania. Methods: A total of 312 patients, aged between 2 months and 90 years and residing in both urban and rural communities, were included. Stool samples were collected and analyzed using the CerTest Crypto qualitative chromatographic test and the modified Ziehl\u2013Neelsen staining method (Henricksen &amp; Pohlenz). Risk factors were assessed through a questionnaire completed by patients or by the parents of pediatric patients. Results: The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection was 5.77%. Among the evaluated risk factors, only the area of residence showed a statistically significant association (p &lt; 0.05), with a higher prevalence in urban areas (9.2%) compared to rural areas (3.6%). Other factors\u2014including age, gender, contact with animals, pet ownership, handwashing after animal contact, type of housing, fruit washing habits, use of potable water, use of public transportation, international travel, and visits to playgrounds or swimming pools\u2014were not significantly associated with infection. Conclusions: These findings suggest that urban residency may be a significant factor in Cryptosporidium transmission and may inform future research and the development of targeted public health strategies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14134481","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,24]],"date-time":"2025-06-24T10:44:41Z","timestamp":1750761881000},"page":"4481","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Assessment of Risk Factors for Cryptosporidium Infection in Hospitalized Patients from Romania"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Rodica Georgiana","family":"D\u0103r\u0103bu\u0219","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"Center for Diagnosis and Study of Parasitic Diseases, Department of Infectious Disease, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5484-4685","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marius Stelian","family":"Ilie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d, 300645 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-8972-6603","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Diana Maria","family":"Darabu\u0219","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Oftalmo Sensory-Tumor Research Center\u2014ORL (EYE-ENT), Ophthalmology Department, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Voichi\u021ba","family":"L\u0103zureanu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infectious Diseases Clinic, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8236-2205","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ovidiu","family":"Ro\u0219ca","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1094-3729","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tudor Rare\u0219","family":"Olariu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"Center for Diagnosis and Study of Parasitic Diseases, Department of Infectious Disease, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"592","DOI":"10.1016\/S0016-5085(76)80503-3","article-title":"Acute enterocolitis in a human being infected with the protozoan Cryptosporidium","volume":"70","author":"Nime","year":"1976","journal-title":"Gastroenterol."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"138","DOI":"10.1016\/j.exppara.2009.02.003","article-title":"Minireview: Clinical cryptosporidiosis","volume":"124","author":"Chalmers","year":"2010","journal-title":"Exp. 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