Background Cryptosporidiosis, a gastrointestinal infection caused by Cryptosporidium spp., is an emerging public health concern, typically manifesting as self-limiting watery diarrhea in immunocompetent individuals, sometimes treated with nitazoxanide or other antiparasitics. In patients experiencing immunocompromisation, such as those with AIDS or solid organ transplantation (SOT), risk of infection is known to be higher and symptoms are more severe, but first-line medicines are less effective. Risk, presentation, and effective management among those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not known. This population is frequently treated with immunosuppressive therapy, and symptoms of cryptosporidiosis can be mistaken as an IBD flare. This study aims to systematically review and map the intersection of cryptosporidiosis and IBD to assess disease risk, diagnostic delays, and effective pharmaceutical interventions to inform better patient care.

Methods A protocol for a scoping review was developed, following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. We used PCC (Problem, Concept, Context) framework, where IBD is the Problem and cryptosporidiosis is the Concept. Context is broad to include all clinical reports (randomized and non-randomized control trials, case studies, and observational studies). Inclusion criteria encompass clinical cases across all age groups, both with and without the use of immunomodulators, including patients initially diagnosed with either cryptosporidiosis or IBD.

Results A MEDLINE (PubMed) search conducted January 19, 2024 yielded 308,023 results for IBD and 11,307 results for cryptosporidiosis. Systematic reviews for cryptosporidiosis were found on epidemiology and risk factors for AIDS, SOT, and poor water hygiene, but none regarding IBD. Combined query of IBD and cryptosporidiosis retrieved 91 results. An instrument was developed via the Qualtrics platform for comprehensive and homogenous data extraction. Our protocol is registered with Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/j47mb) and has been submitted for peer review, currently awaiting managing editor’s decision.

Conclusion This scoping review seeks to address the literature gap by systematically mapping the comorbidity of cryptosporidiosis and IBD. The next steps involve integrating reviewer feedback and adapting our search strategy for additional databases. By enhancing our understanding of the intersection between cryptosporidiosis and IBD, this research has the potential to drive changes in clinical practice, improve patient outcomes, and inform future research directions in the field of gastroenterology and infectious diseases.