title: Comparison between ELISA and various stains techniques in laboratory diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis.
abstract: Cryptosporidium spp. is an important parasitic protozoa causing diarrhea which is a severe life-threatening diarrhea especially in immunocompromised hosts. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of detection of Cryptosporidium spp. copro-antigen from fecal specimens by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test and comparing its sensitivity and specificity with some staining methods. The results revealed that Modified Acid-Fast stain is considered better than Giemsa in detecting Cryptosporidium species oocysts in faecal smears as their sensitivity were 67.5% and 53.75% respectively. On contrary, ELISA technique is considered the best method used for detection of cryptosporidial infection as its sensitivity is 90%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Minia University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nabil S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Gabr
authors.forename: Manal Z M
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Abdellatif
authors.forename: Ekhlas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abd El-Hafeez
authors.forename: Reham A M
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Abd Rabou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*