[Infantile cryptosporidiosis in Sousse area, Tunisia].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate infantile cryptosporidiosis prevalence in central Tunisia.


METHODS
Stool samples from 34,020 immunocompetent children were investigated for oocysts through a 12-year study.


RESULTS
Cryptotosporidia were detected in 0.32% (108) of samples. Ninety three per cent of children were less than five years old. Incidence was much higher in summer and autumn. Leading clinical symptoms were diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Symptoms spontaneously resolved in all patients. In three cases, infection was asymptomatic.


CONCLUSIONS
Data analysis indicate that cryptosporidiosis is not uncommon in diarrheic central Tunisian children.
Laboratoire de parasitologie mycologie, faculté de médecine de Sousse, avenue Mohamed-El-Karoui, 4002 Sousse, Tunisie. akila.fathallah@famso.rnu.tn
A
A
Fathallah
F
F
Saghrouni
B
B
Madani
N
N
Ben Rejeb
M
M
Ben Said
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology