THE EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES VOL. 19-No. 2-December 1998 (ISSN: 1110-0540)
Egypt. J. Med. Sci. 19 (2) December, 1998: 581 - 591
THE PREVALENCE OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM IN PATIENTS WITH DIARRHEA
USING MERIFLUOR DIRECT IMMUNOFLUORESCENT TECHNIQUE
By
Samir M. Kabil; Fatma Abdel Salam; Eman M. Fathy; Safeya M. Deyab*, Azza S. El-Hamshary**
Department of Hepatology, Gastrocnterology & Infectious Diseases
and Departments of Clinical Pathology* and Parasitology**
Benha Faculty of Medicine
ABSTRACT
The mode of transmission, prevalence and importance of
Cryplosporidium as a causal agent of diarrhea were assessed. Single stool specimens from 270 cases ranging in age between 2 months and 65 years (200 with diarrhea and 70 healthy controls),
30 drinking water samples and 15 coin washes were studied by direct itnmunofluorescent technique to identify Cryptosporidium oocysts. The parasite was present in the stool of 20.5% of diarrheal patients and in 5.7% of non-diarrheal healthy subjects. The role of Cryptosporidium as a cause of diarrhea was significantly proved on comparing Cryptosporidium diarrheals versus healthy individuals. The parasite was more prevalent in younger age groups comparing with adults. Infants below 2 years showed more oocyst shedding than older ages. Searching for the role of other parasites or enterobacteria in diarrhea associated with Crypto¬sporidium infection, stool analysis and cultures were performed. No statistical
significant relation could be detected between those enteropathogens and the Cryptosporidium diarrheal illness, suggesting that, Cryptosporidium parasite is the cause of diarrhea in those patients. Animal contact had got a significant role in Cryptosporidium transmission and this confirmed the zoonotic nature of the disease. Cryptosporidium oocysts could be detected in one of the 30 drinking water samples and in none of the coin wash extracts. The previous results disproved the role of drinking water and money handling as vehicles of Cryptosporidium transport in the studies areas.
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