Summary

Cryptosporidium, a parasitic infection commonly associated with diarrhoea, may be difficult to differentiate from a flare in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and can lead to unnecessary therapy and increase in morbidity and mortality. We report the case of a paediatric patient who had substantial stool output requiring significant fluid resuscitation and who was later diagnosed with cryptosporidium on endoscopic biopsy. Diagnostic work up for cryptosporidium should be strongly considered when a patient presents with a flare involving massive stool output.