[The epidemiology of human cryptosporidiosis].

Cryptosporidiosis, as an emerging disease, has generated a tremendous amount of research. Our purpose is a survey of the epidemiology of this disease, emphasizing: the features of the parasites and the species and genotypes that may infect Man, the most frequent of which is Cryptosporidium parvum and its two genotypes "Cattle" and "Human"; the means of dissemination of the infective stage and of human contamination; the factors that put Man at risk of catching a severe infection; the basis of a suitable control.