[Clinical importance, epidemiology and laboratory diagnosis of intestinal Cryptosporidia infection]

In immunodeficient patients, particularly in those with acquired immune deficiency syndrome, cryptosporidia can cause severe, sometimes life-threatening and protracted diarrhoea. There is no specific antiparasitic therapy available so far. In AIDS patients an immunomodulatory therapy, e.g. with interleukin-2, may possibly lead to an improvement of a concomitant cryptosporidiosis. In immunocompetent patients cryptosporidia cause a mild self-limited diarrhoea. People mostly endangered are children and those who have contacts with animals. Cryptosporidia have also been found in tropical areas--especially in children--as enteropathogens. However, in other studies cryptosporidia were detected as often in children without diarrhoea. Further epidemiological investigations are necessary in order to finally evaluate the prevalence and the significance of cryptosporidia in the pathogenesis of diarrhoea. Diagnosis is based upon the detection of oocysts in the faeces. Oocysts are acid-fast in Ziehl-Neelsen staining.