INTRODUCTION

Cryptosporidium is known to cause diarrhoea in humans primarily with immunodeficiency and those with AIDS. However, it has been implicated as a cause of chronic or persistent diarrhoea in some healthy adult individuals as well. We studied the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in stool samples of all diarrhoeal cases having recurrent or persistent symptoms.

METHODOLOGY

This observational study was conducted at a large Military cantonment in northern India. These samples were collected from patients having predominant symptom as diarrhoea along with other associated symptoms like abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting. A total of 2116 stools samples were collected and processed between May 2015 to Nov 2016. Round to oval bodies of oocysts of varying sizes, 4 to 6 µm in diameter that stained pink or red were identified as Cryptosporidia.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 31.2 years (18 – 56 years). Out of the 2116 stool samples, 80% belonged to male patients while the rest (20%) belonged to females. 6.47% samples were positive for causative agents (137/2116) while 91 samples were positive for Cryptosporidium alone (4.30%, 91/2116). Only two of these 91 patients were HIV positive.

CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS

The prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection varies widely from place to place. It can cause self–limiting to persistent diarrhoea in healthy immunocompetent individuals as well. Most patients respond very well to Nitazoxanide therapy. Stool for Cryptosporidium cysts should be a mandatory investigation for all patents of chronic or persistent diarrhoea regardless of their immune status.