The relevance of laboratory diagnosis of human cryptosporidiosis and other coccidia Importância do diagnóstico laboratorial da criptosporidiose humana e outras coccidioses

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: C.R. Garlipp, P.V. Bottini, A.T.L.S. Teixeira
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 1995
• Subjects: Crytosporidium spp; Isospora belli; Diarrhoea; AIDS; Staining; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46651995000500014; https://doaj.org/article/a22aa363a65540d481044d47c5aabd98

Human infection by Cryptosporidium spp and other coccidia are due to opportunist non-host specific microorganisms. In HIV seropositive patients, the gastrointestinal symptoms accompanying such infections may be serious and prolonged and may include nausea, low-grade fever, abdominal cramps, anorexia and watery diarrhoea. We studied 188 stool samples from 111 patients (84 men and 27 women) with diarrhoea. A modified Ziehl-Nielsen technique for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp and Isospora belli was employed. The mean age of the patients was 31 years. Cryptosporidium spp was seen in 18% (n=20) of the patients, 90% (n=18) of whom were HIV seropositive. Isospora belli was recorded only from HIV seropositive patients (5.4% of all the patients studied and 6.5% of those who were HIV seropositive). These data confirm the good results obtained with this technique for the identification of Cryptosporidium spp and other coccidia and also reaffirm the clinical importance of correctly diagnosing the cause of diarrhoea, particularly in HIV seropositive patients. Infecção humana por Cryptosporidium spp e outros coccideos deve-se a microrganismos oportunistas hospedeiros não-específicos e, em pacientes HIV positivos, os sintomas gastro-intestinais podem ser sérios e prolongados incluindo náuseas, febre baixa, dores abdominais, anorexia e diarréia aquosa. Estudamos 188 amostras de fezes provenientes de 111 pacientes (84 homens e 27 mulheres, com idade média de 31 anos) com diarréia, atendidos no Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Para detecção de Cryptosporidium spp e lsospora belli empregou-se a técnica de Ziehl-Nielsen modificada. Oitenta e três porcento dos pacientes (n=92) eram HIV positivos. Cryptosporidium spp foi observado em 18% de todos os pacientes, sendo que destes, noventa porcento eram HIV positivos, lsospora belli foi evidenciada somente em pacientes HIV positivos, com uma freqüência de 5.4% de todos os pacientes e de 6.5% considerando-se apenas os pacientes HIV positivos. Este estudo ...