Cryptosporidiosis in AIDS and non-AIDS patients.
Stool specimens were collected from 433 diarrheal patients (87 AIDS and 346 non-AIDS), among which, 154 specimens from 84 patients (45 AIDS and 39 non-AIDS) had cryptosporidial oocysts detected by acid-fast stain method. The overall incidence of cryptosporidiosis in this study was 19%; however, the incidence in the AIDS patients was almost 5 times of that in the non-AIDS patients. The consistency of 154 specimens having oocysts were 71 (46%) watery, 57 (37%) loose and 26 (17%) soft. The consistency of positive specimens from the AIDS patients and the non-AIDS patients were different; among 86 from AIDS patients, 54 (63%) of them were watery and 7 (8%) were soft; whereas in 68 positive specimens from the non-AIDS patients, 32 (47%) were loose and 19 (28%) were soft. The positive cases were found all-year-round and with a slightly higher incidence in December-February, 30 cases (36%), and in June-August, 23 cases (27%). Although a few enteric bacteria pathogens and protozoan parasites were also found in the stool specimens of patients with cryptosporidiosis, no close association with Cryptosporidium was found. As shown in this study, cryptosporidiosis is the leading cause of gastro-intestinal illness in great New York area and is not uncommonly found in AIDS and non-AIDS patients.
Department of Microbiology, St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center, New York.
J C
JC
Tsaihong
P
P
Guiguli
M Y
MY
Liou
P
P
Ma
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons