Background: Cryptosporidiosis due to Cryptosporidium parvum is an important zoonotic disease distributed world-wide and Cryptosporidium parvum was 1streported in 1907 in the gastric crypts of laboratory mouse by Edward Tyzzer. It is now well recognized in among immunocompromised individuals.In 1981 Michael Gottlieb and his colleagues at Los Angeles reported abroad range of opportunistic enteric parasites responsible for gastrointestinal infections like cryptosporidiosis, in patients with severe immunosuppression. Cryptosporidium parvum causes severe and protracted diarrhoea, is considered as one of the most important enteric opportunistic infections in AIDSHere is a need to know the higher incident rate of HIV sero-positivity /AIDS in Raichur District, Karnataka. Aims and Objectives:To determine the incidence of cryptosporidiosis in HIV sero-positive/AIDS patients.
- To detect and compare cryptosporidiosis in HIV sero-positive/AIDS patients with diarrhoea and without diarrhoea.
- To evaluate Modified ZiehlNeelsen staining technique (MZN) &Immunofluorescent microscopy technique (IFT) and Polymerase Chain Reaction for detection of cryptosporidiosis.
- To correlate the CD4 count with the incidence of cryptosporidiosis
Materials and methods: Stool samples were collected from 110HIV positive patients presenting with and without diarrhoea at Govt Medical College,Raichur after obtaining informed consent. Each stool sample was divided into 3 parts and subjected to modified Ziehl Neelsen staining method, immunofluorescent microscopy and PCR Results: Out of 110 cases studied, 65 patients presented with diarrhoea and the remaining 45 were without diarrhoea. The major group affected was 31- 40 years with mean age 34.4 years. Male preponderance was seen. Out of 110 patients, 80 (73%) patients had CD4 count less than 200 cells/cumm. Maximum positivity was in Immunofluorescent Microscopy 92.6%, Modified ZN staining 77.3%.
Conclusion: Our study highlights the importance of routine examination of stool samples for cryptosporidium oocysts in all HIV sero-positive /AIDS patients, irrespective of gastrointestinal symptoms.
