title: High prevalence of Cryptosporidium in young children with prolonged diarrhea.
abstract: A prospective study was done to identify Cryptosporidium in the stools of young children, aged 2 months to 3 years, admitted to hospital. Of a total of 387 stool samples from 387 individuals, 131 stool specimens forming the control group were from children with non-diarrheal, respiratory tract infections, 200 and 56 stool samples were from children with acute diarrhea and prolonged diarrhea, respectively. No Cryptosporidium was discovered in the control group. Only 1 sample positive for Cryptosporidium was found in the group with acute diarrhea, whereas 4 samples of Cryptosporidium were found in the group with prolonged diarrhea. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in the group with prolonged diarrhea was significantly higher than the other two groups (p < 0.05). In those children with prolonged diarrhea, Cryptosporidium should always be included in the differential diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jirapinyo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ruangsiri
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tesjaroen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Limsathayourat
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sripiangjan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoolek
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Junnoo
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000469:parasitology*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000469:parasitology; D013785:Thailand; D013997:Time Factors