Epidemiological survey of cryptosporidiosis in Anhui Province China

AIM: To provide scientific evidence for prevention and controlling of cryptosporidiosis, the infection of Cryptosporidium parvum and its epidemiological characteristics were studied in some areas of Anhui Province.METHODS: The oocyst of Cryptosporidium parvum in 5421fresh stool samples from eleven areas of Anhui Provincewas tested by auramine-phenol stain and improved anti-acidstain respectively. The specific antibody of IgG, IgM and Tsubsets of 41 patients with positive Cryptosporidium parvumin stools were detected by ELISA and biotin-streptavidin(BSA) respectively.RESULTS: The total infective rate of Cryptosporidiumparvum was 1.33 % (74/5421). Among them, the positiverates of oocyst in the areas of Huaibei (1. 82 % ) and Fuyang( 1. 80 % ) were higher. The positive rates of oocyst in stoolsof infants, pupils, middle school students, collegestudents, adults, patients with diarrhea, and those withimmunodeficiency were 3.15 % (28/889), 0.82 % (9/1098), 0.82 %(9/1092), 0.83 %(8/969), 0.85 % (9/1095), 2.88 %(8/27g) and 8.33 %(3/36) % respectively. The positive rates ofoocyst in infants and the patients with diarrhea andimmunodeficiency were significantly higher than those incontrols ( P ＜ 0.01 ). The positive rate of oocyst in maleswas similar to that in females ( P＞ 0.05). The positive rateof oocyst in urban areas ( 1. 13 %) was significantly lowerthan those in rural areas ( 1. 72 %, P ＜ 0.01 ). The positiverates of specific IgG, IgM and IgG + IgM in sera of thepatients with positive oocyst in stool were 63.4 % ( 26/41 ),17.1% (7/41), 19.5 % (8/41) respectively. The numberfractions of T subsets of CD3 + , CD4 + , CD8 + and CD4 +/CD8 + of the patients were 0.66 ± 0.07, 0.44 ± 0.06, 0.28 ± 0.04 and 1. 58 ± 0.32 respectively. The difference between thepatients and the controls was significant ( P ＜ 0. 05). Themain manifestations of the patients were subclinicalinfection, in forms of slight abdominal pain, mild diarrhea,and loose stool.CONCLUSION: There are two infection peaks in infection ofCryptosporidium