Prevalence of Cryptosporidium Infection in Children at the Paediatrics Clinic of Jimma Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia

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Gebru Kibru
Girma Mekete

Abstract

A cross sectional survey was conducted to determine the magnitude of Cryptosporidiosis among under-five children with diarrhoea attending the Paediatric Clinic of Jimma Hospital from. 20 September 30 October 1997. One hundred fifty under-five children with diarrhoea! complaints were identified and oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp were looked for in the stool samples using the modified Ziehl­Neelsen staining method. Out of one hundred fifty stool specimens five were positive for oocysts of Cryptosporidium giving a 3.3 % prevalence rate. The report was submitted to the respective Paediatrician and the patients were treated as cryptosporidiosis rather than viral or bacterial diarrhoea! cases. This study has demonstrated the presence of Cryptosporidium infection in the region and therefore the parasite must be looked for during laboratory investigation of diarrhoea) stool samples.

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Original Article
Author Biographies

Gebru Kibru, Jimma University. P.O. Box 378. Jimma. Ethiopia

B.Sc

Department of Microbiology and Parasitology

Girma Mekete, Jimma University. P.O. Box 378. Jimma. Ethiopia,

B.sc

School of Medical Laboratory Technology