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Molecular copro-prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Egyptian children and evaluation of three diagnostic methods
Mona M Fathy1, Noha M Abdelrazek, Fayza A Hassan
1Departments of Clinical and Chemical Pathology, and *Medical Parasitology, Kasr Al-Ainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. Correspondence to: Dr Ayman A El-Badry, Medical Parasitology Department, Kasr Al-Ainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, El Manial, Cairo, Egypt. aelbadry@kasralainy.edu.eg.
Insights
Cryptosporidium is a common cause of diarrhea in Egyptian children. Molecular methods like nested PCR are more sensitive than microscopy or ELISA for diagnosing this parasitic infection.
Area of Science:
- Medical Parasitology
- Infectious Diseases
- Molecular Diagnostics
Background:
- Cryptosporidium is a significant enteric pathogen causing diarrhea in children globally.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management and public health interventions.
- Limited data exists on the molecular prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Egyptian pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the molecular prevalence of Cryptosporidium infections in a cohort of Egyptian children.
- To compare the diagnostic accuracy of microscopy, ELISA, and nested PCR (nPCR) for Cryptosporidium detection.
Main Methods:
- Stool samples were collected from 150 children with diarrhea and 100 healthy children.
- Samples were analyzed using microscopy (Acid-fast stain), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR).
- nPCR was considered the gold standard for molecular detection.
Main Results:
- nPCR detected Cryptosporidium in 22.4% of the children studied.
- Microscopy and ELISA exhibited false-negative results.
- Both microscopy and ELISA demonstrated 100% specificity when compared to nPCR.
Conclusions:
- Cryptosporidium is a prevalent cause of diarrhea among children in Egypt.
- Nested PCR offers superior sensitivity for Cryptosporidium detection compared to microscopy and ELISA.
- Molecular diagnostic tools are essential for accurate epidemiological assessments of parasitic infections.
Objective:
To determine molecular prevalence of Cryptosporidium in a cohort of Egyptian children and compare three diagnostic tests.
Methods:
Stool samples from children with diarrhea (n=150) and from apparently healthy children (n=100) were examined for Cryptosporidium using microscopy, enzyme linked immuosorbant assay (ELISA) and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR).
Results:
nPCR detected Cryptosporidium in 22.4% of children. Acid-fast stain and ELISA showed false negativity but 100% specificity with nPCR as gold standard.
Conclusion:
Cryptosporidium is a common cause of diarrhea in children in Egypt.
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