Table 1.

A comparison of Giardia vs. Cryptosporidium infection in children at a glance.

Some Differences		Similarities	References
Giardia	Cryptosporidium
Microbial biofilm disruption, altered species diversity, and abundance in intestinal microbiota.	No significant changes in the bacterial microbiota in diversity or structure.	Diarrhea is a common associated symptom.	[91,102]
Increased cases more often in children aged 3–6 months old.	More common in children aged 6–12 months old.	Infection lasts longer in children than adults with treatment.	[62,91,103]
Children are 17.9-fold more sensitive to infection than adults.	Children with Cryptosporidium are 10.6-fold more sensitive to the infection than adults.	Could cause malnutrition due to lack of nutrient absorption.	[102,104]
Giardia infection in children may cause inflammation of the joints.	Children that are HIV-positive are more susceptible to Cryptosporidium.	No significant difference in prevalence between males and females among children.	[91,104,105]