Nosocomial Diarrhea Distribution by Cryptosporidium in Isfahan

Area of Science:

• Medical Parasitology
• Infectious Diseases
• Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

• Cryptosporidium spp. causes cryptosporidiosis, a diarrheal disease transmitted via contaminated sources.
• It poses a significant public health and environmental challenge, particularly affecting vulnerable populations.
• Studies often focus on immunocompromised individuals, children, livestock, and water sources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in hospitalized patients with diarrhea.
• To compare the efficacy of microscopy and PCR in diagnosing cryptosporidiosis in a clinical setting.
• To assess the potential for nosocomial transmission of Cryptosporidium.

Main Methods:

• Examined 217 hospitalized patients with acute or chronic diarrhea.
• Utilized modified Ziehl Neelsen (MZN) stain for microscopic examination.
• Employed nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the 18S rRNA gene for molecular detection.

Main Results:

• Microscopy detected 0.00% (0/217) prevalence of Cryptosporidium.
• PCR identified 0.92% (2/217) of fecal samples as positive for Cryptosporidium.
• PCR revealed a low but present prevalence missed by traditional microscopy.

Conclusions:

• Nosocomial diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium is uncommon but possible in healthcare settings.
• Hospitals can serve as potential transmission sites for infectious diseases like cryptosporidiosis.
• Effective hygiene management requires understanding the impact of pathogens causing nosocomial diarrhea, especially in developing countries.