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[Cryptosporidiosis and persistent diarrhea]
A F Cantalice Neto1, M do C Zim, R S Machado
1Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas de Porto Alegre (FFFCMPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Jornal De Pediatria
|December 20, 2003
Summary
Cryptosporidiosis is common in young children experiencing persistent diarrhea. However, infected children showed similar clinical outcomes and treatment responses compared to uninfected children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Gastroenterology
- Parasitology
Background:
- Persistent diarrhea in children is a significant health concern.
- Cryptosporidiosis is a known cause of diarrhea, but its prevalence in persistent cases needs further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of Cryptosporidium infection in infants with persistent diarrhea.
- To compare clinical and laboratory findings between Cryptosporidium-infected and non-infected children.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study was conducted on 70 infants under two years old with persistent diarrhea, excluding HIV and other causes.
- Data collected included diarrhea duration, hospitalization, nutritional status, and d-xylose test results.
Main Results:
- Cryptosporidium was detected in 14% (20%) of infants, particularly those under three months old (23%).
- Malnutrition was prevalent in 91.5% of all patients, with similar rates in infected and non-infected groups.
- A tendency towards underdosing xylose tests was observed in infected infants, especially within the first year of life.
Conclusions:
- Cryptosporidiosis is a frequent finding in infants with persistent diarrhea.
- Despite its prevalence, Cryptosporidium infection did not significantly alter clinical presentation, prognosis, or therapeutic characteristics compared to other causes.