title: Detection of Cryptosporidium--specific coproantigen in human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients by using a commercially available immunoenzymatic assay.
abstract: The aim of this study was to verify the occurrence of Cryptosporidium infection in 52 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients (group 1) and 38 clinically healthy individuals (group 2) by using enzyme immunoassay (EIA). All fecal samples collected were submitted to the Baermann, Lutz and Ritchie methods, the Safranin/Methylene Blue, and Weber's chromotrope modified Trichrome staining techniques, and EIA. In group 1, parasitological staining techniques and EIA were both positive for Cryptosporidium sp. infection in 3/52 (5.8%) samples and both negative in 45/52 (86.5%) samples, while 4/52 (7.7%) samples were positive in EIA and negative in parasitological staining techniques. Concerning group 2, all samples were negative by EIA and microscopy for Cryptosporidium infection. In conclusion, EIA may be an alternative method for detecting Cryptosporidium-specific coproantigen in HIV/AIDS patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Pará 1720, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG, Brasil.
authors.forename: Claudio Vieira
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Marcelo Simão
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Maria do Rosário de Fátima
authors.initials: Mdo R
authors.lastname: Gonçalves-Pires
authors.forename: Julia Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Costa-Cruz
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000469:parasitology*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic