Concurrent Intestinal Parasitoses With Cryposporidium Species Among patients With Gastrointestinal Disorder In Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite that causes gastrointestinal illness, is transmitted by ingestion of oocysts excreted in human or animal stools. Cryptosporidiosis presents with severe diarrhoea in HIV/AIDS patients and self-limiting in immunocompetent individuals. The parasite is yet to receive sufficient public health attention in Nigeria. This study was undertaken to investigate association of Cryptosporidium oocysts with other intestinal parasites in patients with gastrointestinal complaints. The collected stool samples were examined immediately with wet mount using saline solution and 5% lugol iodine. The aliquot was centrifuged in formal-cther using concentration technique, then stained with Kinyoun'sCarbol-fuchsin. Two hundred and thirty-eight (238) stool samples were collected from patients with diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Of the 238 participants, 20(8.4%) were HIV-seropositive patients. Cryptosporidium oocyst was identified using Kinyoun carbol fuschin stain. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium was (6.3%). Of the 218 HIV-seronegative individuals, 4.6% were positive for Cryptosporidium and amongthe 20 HIV-seropositive patients, 15(75.0%) were positive. Apart from Cryptosporidium, 23.9% of the patients were positive for other intestinal parasites such as Ascaris, Fasciola. Giardia, Trichuris. Entamoeba histolytica/dispar ranked highest with (7.14%) positive, followed by Ascaris (6.3%). The highest infection rate (8%) was recorded in the age group 11-20 years and there was a statistical significant difference between infected and uninfected in relation to sex (Chi square=0.731, df=1, P