Cryptosporidium as a common cause of childhood diarrhoea in Italy.
Cryptosporidium oocysts were observed in the stools of 9 (7.2%) of 124 Italian children with diarrhoea, examined during the period 1 January-31 December 1984. In two children, the parasite was associated with other enteric pathogens. The duration of diarrhoea was 2-30 days, with a median of 6 days. In all cases the infection was self limiting. The mean age of the Cryptosporidium-positive children was 34 months, and all cases occurred in the warm season. Cryptosporidium was found to be the third most common enteric pathogen after rotavirus and Salmonella spp.
Caprioli
A
A
Laboratorio di Ultrastrutture, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
Gentile
G
G
Baldassarri
L
L
Bisicchia
R
R
Romoli
E
E
Donelli
G
G
D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003044:Coccidia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy; D012621:Seasons