title: The Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in Children, Taiz District, Yemen.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This is the first work done on cryptosporidiosis among the children in Taiz, Yemen.
  
  
  METHODS
  A number of 712 samples were collected from children of different ages (ranging from 1 month to 12 years) from Dec 2006 to Aug 2007. The collected samples were examined by Sheather's sugar floatation and Modified Ziehl- Neelsen stain as well as ELISA methods. The test results were statistically analyzed by SPSS software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall positive percentage was 43.7%. The higher incidence (36.2%) was occurred in males while the lowest incidence (32.7%) was observed in females (r=0.876; P=0.001). The correlation between infected cases and the type of drinking water was r =0.121. Among the cases examined by ELISA (92 cases), 26.1% were infected. The correlation between seropositivity and gender was r=0.652 (P=0.031).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cryptosporidium spp. is a significant pathogen among children at Taiz. Fresh water supplies, education, eating habits and domestic animals are considered the main sources for transmission of cryptosporidiosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Microbiology, Faculty of App. Science, Taiz University, Taiz, Yemen.
authors.forename: Ah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Shamiri
authors.forename: Ah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Zubairy
authors.forename: Rf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Al-Mamari