PREVALENCE OF CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS IN HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS WITH DIARRHEAL ILLNESS

Protozoans of the genus Cryptosporidium may cause serious diarrhoeal i llness in immunocompromised hosts and especially in HIV-infected patie nts. In this study we have evaluated the frequency of Cryptosporidium in stools of 51 HIV-infected patients with diarrhoea. Laboratory diagn osis of cryptosporidiosis was performed of faecal samples concentrated by a formalin-ether sedimentation technique and stained by a modified cold Ziehl-Neelsen method. Results demonstrated that 17 (33.3%) of th ese patients were infected with Cryptosporidium. Moreover, Cryptospori dium infection was the first clinical marker of AIDS in 7 cases. Our d ata show that the prevalence of this parasitosis in HIV-infected peopl e seems to be higher in our region (Apulia, South Italy), compared to other areas of the world.