[Cryptosporidiosis in children]

During January through June 1988, oocysts of Cryptosporidium were identified in fecal samples of 83 (7.7%) of 1073 children who presented with acute gastroenteritis. Other intestinal pathogens were less common: Salmonella 4.2%, E. coli 1.9%, Shigella 2.6% and Campylobacter jejuni 5.0%. Cryptosporidiosis (C) was more common under the age of 5 years than over (8.4% vs 1.8%, respectively, p less than 0.01). In 6 (7.2%) children with C, another stool pathogen was found. Frequent signs of C were diarrhea (85.4%), vomiting (36.3%) and fever (32.7%). Although no anticryptosporidial treatment was given, most children recovered within 5-9 days, but 6 had to be hospitalized: 4 were dehydrated and 5 had electrolyte imbalance. Repeated examination showed persistence of oocysts in the stools for up to 19 days. We conclude that C is a significant cause of gastroenteritis in Israeli children under the age of 5 years which occasionally requires hospitalization. We therefore recommend routine examination for C in cases of acute gastroenteritis.