Occurrence and significance of Cryptosporidium infection in Calcutta.
During a 2-year study, Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in 32 (5.6%) of 566 hospitalized paediatric diarrhoea cases and 2 (1.2%) of 167 non-diarrhoeic individuals. Cryptosporidium was the sole pathogen detected in 17 (3.0%) of the 32 positive cases; in the other 15 it occurred in combination with one or more other established enteropathogen(s). The frequency of detection of the parasite was highest in the 0-6 months age group; no sex-specific difference was discernible. The detection rate of the parasite was highest during the monsoon and post-monsoon months. Most of the patients had watery stools with a mild to moderate degree of dehydration, with the diarrhoea lasting for less than 7 d.
Pal
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Department of Microbiology and Clinical Medicine, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR), Calcutta, India.
Bhattacharya
S K
SK
Das
P
P
Chaudhuri
P
P
Dutta
P
P
De
S P
SP
Sen
D
D
Saha
M R
MR
Nair
G B
GB
Pal
S C
SC
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D012621:Seasons