The Incidence of Cryptosporidium Infection in Children with Diarrhea

Abstract

Objective: The aim of our study was to determine the the incidence of Cryptosporidium infection in patients who suffered from diarrhea. Material and Methods: Fecal samples of 240 children with diarrhea were examined with Kinyoun's acidoresistant staining method. Age, gender, clinical symptoms including height, weight, hydration status, fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, number of stools per day, the past medical history of breastfeeding and animal contact, were recorded in the questionaire. Results: Cryptosporidium oocytes were determined in both 13 of 229 (5.6%) children with diarrhea who had no known disease previously and 3 of 11 (27%) patients with immunodeficiency disease. The median age of 3.5 (0.1 to 19) years Cryptosporidium was detected in patients 3.75 (0.8 to 11) years and undetectable in patients 3.5 (1.1 to 19) years. The clinical features of patients such as age, gender, and breestfeeding were not significantly associated with Cryptosporidium infection. However, animal contact and malnutrition appeared to increase the risk for Cryptosporidium infection. The severity of Cryptosporidium diarrhea increased in two immuno-deficient patients and they died due to sepsis during the following up period. Conclusion: Our results revealed that some risk factors including exposure to farm animals, malnutrition, primary immunodeficiencies could have importance for the prognosis of Cryptosporidium infection. Therefore, children with severe watery diarrhea should be followed up closely by physicians due to the fatal course of disease.