Cyclospora cayetanensis infections among diarrheal patients from Venezuela

The prevalence and importance of Cyclospora cayetanensis as an enteropathog en among 71 patients (22-45 years old) with acquired immunodeficiency syndr ome (AIDS) and 132 children with diarrhea (0-12 years old) from Venezuela w as assessed retrospectively. Two to three stool samples from each patient a ttending our parasitology laboratory for parasitologic and medical assistan ce were examined. For identification of the coccidium, modified Ziehl-Neels en carbolfuchsin staining of formalin-ether stool concentrates was used, an d for other intestinal parasites, iron-hematoxylin-stained smears and forma lin-ether concentrates were examined. Cyclospora oocysts were found in seve n (9.8%) of 71 AIDS patients and seven (5.3%) of 132 children with diarrhea . Other pathogenic parasites were present in most of the patients (9 of 14, 64.3%) shedding oocysts. Cyclosporiasis predominated in children 2-5 years of age with respect to those less than or equal to one year of age (P < 0. 05). The findings suggest that C. cayetanensis is common in diarrheal patie nts from Venezuela. However, the role of the parasite as the causal agent o f diarrhea in these patients is uncertain.