Cryptosporidium (Oocyst)
4.8 µm
Oocyst diameter
The tough egg-like stage of a waterborne parasite, with four sporozoites inside. 4.2 to 5.4 µm across.
Published
How big is that?
4.8 µm is 62% of a red blood cell.
Cryptosporidium is the 3rd smallest of the 32 Tiny Worlds objects, and the 3rd smallest of the 172 objects across all five SizeItUp games.
Size comparison
To scale, smallest to largest: Cryptosporidium in orange beside the Tiny Worlds objects nearest in size, in teal.
| Object | Size | vs Cryptosporidium |
|---|---|---|
| E. coli bacteriumEscherichia coli, the rod-shaped bacterium in every gut and lab. | 2 µm long | 42% of the size |
| PlateletA tiny cell fragment that plugs cuts and starts blood clotting. | 3 µm across | 63% of the size |
| Cryptosporidium (Oocyst) | 4.8 µm across | – |
| Yeast cell (Baker's yeast)A single cell of the yeast that raises bread and brews beer. | 6 µm long | 1.3× bigger |
| Red blood cellA human red blood cell: a disc dimpled in the middle. | 7.7 µm across | 1.6× bigger |
In other units
| Micrometres | 4.8 |
|---|---|
| Millimetres | 0.0048 |
| Metres | 0.000005 |
How it's measured
Oocyst diameter. Midpoint of 4.2 to 5.4 µm (US CDC).
The source gives a range, so this is the middle of it.
Sources
- cdc.gov: US CDC DPDx: oocysts measure 4.2 to 5.4 µm in diameter.
Checked against the source on .
Could you have guessed it by eye?
Cryptosporidium is one of the objects in Tiny Worlds, a daily size comparison game: you stretch a shape to the size you think is right beside one you know.