The incidence of cryptosporidiosis: a two-year prospective survey in a children's hospital

Abstract

SUMMARY: A two-year prospective survey of patients with diarrhoea at a children's hospital detected 65 cases of cryptosporidiosis; 56 were index cases representing 1·4% of patients examined. There was a marked seasonal variation with fewer index cases in July–September (0·4–0·6%) than February–April (3·5%). All four adult cases were contacts of infected children and 21 (32%) of the patients were 12 months old or younger. Cryptosporidium was the fourth commonest diagnosed cause of gastroenteritis, the second most common non-viral cause, was responsible for 7·2% of all cases, and 14·7% of non-viral cases where a cause was identified. As such it should be sought routinely in cases of gastroenteritis in children.