Elena Starikova
Siberian State Medical University, Russia
Title: Clinical and Laboratory features of Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea in children under 5 years old
Biography
Biography: Elena Starikova
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is the protozoan infection increasingly recognized as an important global health concern. While initially reported in immunocompromised such as AIDS patients, cryptosporidiosis has now been documented as a major cause of childhood diarrhea. Cryptosporidium is the one of the main reason of childhood mortality and morbidity in tropical and subtropical countries. The aim of this study was to analyze the cryptosporidiosis rate and the clinical outcomes of diseases in children under 5 years with diarrhea in Tomsk, Russia. Methodology: One-stage comparative survey was performed in 107 children under 5 years old admitted to the hospital with acute diarrhea. Fecal material was analyzed with the use of Ziehl-Nielsen staining for presence of Cryptosporidium oocytes. Viral and bacterial intestinal pathogens were analyzed with the use of bacteriological methods and polymer chain reaction. Findings: Children included in the study were hospitalized with watery stool from 3 to 10 times a day, lethargy, decreased appetite, vomiting. Cryptosporidium oocytes were identified in 28 (26%) fecal samples of children with acute diarrhea. Bacterial and viral pathogens accompany cryptosporidiosis in 92,5%of cases with rotavirus as most frequent concurrent infection. The value of body temperature was 38.6(37,9; 39,1)0C in the group without cryptosporidiosis and 38.8 (38,1; 39,4)0C in patients with identified Cryptosporidium oocysts (p=0,410). The number of leukocytes in the group with a positive result for cryptosporidiosis was 13(9.2; 16) x109/l, which significantly differs from the corresponding value in the group of patients without cryptosporidiosis 8.3 (6.1; 11.2) x109/l (p<0.001). The antibiotics were more frequently prescribed for cryptosporidiosis-positive children compared with cryptosporidium-free patients (p=0,026). Conclusion and significance: Concurrent cryptosporodium infection in most cases is combined with other etiological agents. This can increase the severity of diarrhea in children under five years of age that lead to more frequent antibiotics administration. Research work was supported by grant №14W01.17.3455-МД