Seasonality of cryptosporidiosis in children.
The seasonal distribution of cryptosporidiosis in children in Aragón, a region in northeastern Spain, was determined. Over a period of six years (October 1988 to September 1994), 10,034 stool samples from 4,508 children with gastrointestinal symptoms were analyzed for this purpose. The age of the patients ranged from 1 month to 14 years. Cryptosporidium oocysts were identified in 87 (1.93%) patients. Prevalence was highest (6.20%) in children aged 1 to 3 years old. The prevalence was significantly higher in the autumn-winter period (October to March) than in the spring-summer period (April to September) in the whole population (2.41% vs. 1.35%, p = 0.010) and in the 1- to 3-year-old age group (8.44% vs. 3.20%, p = 0.002), but not in the other age groups. A possible relationship of this pattern to attendance at child care centres is suggested.
Clavel
A
A
Departamento de Microbiología, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain.
Olivares
J L
JL
Fleta
J
J
Castillo
J
J
Varea
M
M
Ramos
F J
FJ
Arnal
A C
AC
Quílez
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons