Medicina Comunitária e Educação em Saúde

Abstrato

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Children with Diarrhea in North Indian Tertiary Care Hospital

Farhat Tahira, Haris M. Khan, Indu Shukla, Fatima Shujatullah, M. Ashraf Malik and M. Shahid

Background: Enteric parasitic protozoan of genus cryptosporidium has become an important cause of diarrhoea in developing countries. It is a cause of acute and persistent diarrhoea in immunocompromised and immunocompetent subjects.

Methodology: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. as an enteric pathogen causing diarrhoea in children. 250 stool specimens of children with diarrhoea were examined using staining procedures like modified Ziehl-Neelsen (Z.N.) staining, safranine-methylene blue staining after concentration of stool specimens by formol-ether concentration technique and antigen detection ELISA was performed for diagnosis.

Results: Modified Z. N. staining and safranine-methylene blue staining were positive in 21 cases while 29 cases were positive by ELISA. Prevalence of Cryptosporidium in children with diarrhoea was found to be 11.6%.

Conclusion: High prevalence as noted in this study advocates need to screen for this parasite as a routine diagnostic measure in patients of diarrhoea.