CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS AMONG MEDICAL PATIENTS WITH THE ACQUIRED-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-SYNDROME IN TIKUR-ANBESSA-TEACHING-HOSPITAL, ETHIOPIA

Fresh stool specimens, collected at random from 63 medical in-patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), were studied prospect ively for Cryptosporidium oocyst. The diagnosis of AIDS was made accor ding to the clinical case definition of the Bangui criteria, These pat ients presented with profuse watery diarrhoea, significant weight loss and other associated symptoms and signs of clinical manifestations of symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, Using the m odified Kinyoun acid fast staining technique, 25(39.7%) of the stool s pecimens were positive for Cryptosporidium oocyst. This study showed t hat the protozoan. Cryptosporidium parvum, may be responsible for a si gnificant proportion of cases of chronic diarrhoea among AIDS patients in Ethiopia.