Prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Children Under 13 Years of Age With Acute Diarrhea in Tabriz, Iran

Introduction: Cryptosporidium is a coccidian parasite that causes diarrhea in animals and humans, especially children. Although several studies have been done on Cryptosporidium infection in some parts of Iran, this parasite is not examined in routine parasitological tests. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the frequency of Cryptosporidium infection in children with diarrhea in Tabriz, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this study, 100 fecal samples of children under 13 years of age with acute diarrhea who referred to medical diagnostic laboratories in Tabriz during 2018 were examined for Cryptosporidium infection. The samples were first concentrated by formalin-ether method and after staining with modified acid fast method, they were examined by light microscope. Results: In this study, 3 children (3%), 2 boys, 3 years old and 5 years old, and a 3-year-old girl had cryptosporidiosis. Conclusion: The results of the present study show the presence of Cryptosporidium infection in children in Tabriz. The very low percentage of infection with this parasite indicates that this parasite is not yet considered as a health problem in this area.