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Prevalence of Cryptosporidium in children with enteritis in southern Italy
O Brandonisio1, A Marangi, M A Panaro
1Istituto di Microbiologia Medica, Università di Bari, Italy.
Insights
The protozoan Cryptosporidium parvum caused diarrhea in 1.90% of hospitalized children in South Italy. The infection rate was low in immunocompetent children, with symptoms resolving within 10 days.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Cryptosporidium parvum is a protozoan pathogen causing diarrhea, particularly severe in immunocompromised individuals.
- Cryptosporidiosis is prevalent in developing countries and infants, presenting as self-limiting or life-threatening disease.
- Understanding the prevalence of C. parvum in hospitalized children is crucial for public health management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum in hospitalized children with enteritis in Apulia, South Italy.
- To determine the infection rates in both immunocompetent and HIV-infected pediatric populations.
- To assess the clinical course and duration of C. parvum infection in affected children.
Main Methods:
- A total of 368 hospitalized children with enteritis were enrolled, including 359 immunocompetent and 9 HIV-infected children.
- Stool specimens were processed using sedimentation concentration.
- Modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining was employed for the detection of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts.
Main Results:
- Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts were detected in 7 out of 368 (1.90%) subjects.
- The prevalence in immunocompetent children was 1.67% (6 out of 359), and 1 out of 9 HIV-infected children tested positive.
- All infected children experienced symptom resolution and cessation of oocyst excretion within 10 days.
Conclusions:
- The prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum as a cause of diarrheal illness in hospitalized immunocompetent children in Apulia, South Italy, is low.
- C. parvum infection in this pediatric cohort, including one HIV-infected child, was generally mild and self-limiting.
- These findings contribute to the epidemiological understanding of cryptosporidiosis in specific geographic and demographic contexts.
Abstract:
Cryptosporidium parvum is a protozoan which causes self-limiting diarrhea in immunocompetent subjects, and severe life-threatening disease in immunocompromised patients. Cryptosporidiosis is more common in developing countries and in infants. In this paper we have evaluated the prevalence of C. parvum in 368 hospitalized children with enteritis, of whom 359 were immunocompetent and 9 HIV-infected. Stool specimens were concentrated by sedimentation and stained with a modified Ziehl-Neelsen method. Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts were found in 7 (1.90%) out of 368 subjects. Six of these were immunocompetent (with an infection rate in this population of 1.67%) and 1 HIV-infected, asymptomatic except for diarrhea. In all children symptoms of enteritis and oocyst excretion cleared within 10 days. These results indicate that the prevalence of C. parvum as a causative agent of diarrheal illness in hospitalized immunocompetent children is rather low in our region (Apulia, South Italy).