Identification of Cryptosporidium parvum in Stool Specimen Using Different Diagnostic Methods in Wasit Province/Iraq

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the presence and prevalence of Cryptosporidium among
immunocompromised patients in Wasit Hospitals and health centers to determine the best method for its
diagnosis. The study started from the 1st of August to the end of November 2020. One hundred forty stool
samples were collected from immunocompromised patients from both genders who attended the hospital
and health centers at Wasit province. Stool samples were inspected by modified acid-fast stain as a standard
method, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Molecular Nested PCR method. Modified Ziehl-
Neelsen technique revealed 46 (33%) positive cases for Cryptosporidium oocysts, of 85 males and 55 females,
highly significant relationship was found between the genders and between different age groups of infection
with a highly significant difference between rural and urban area. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium was
57.14% using nested PCR and 38.46% for ELISA in comparison with MZN method. It is concluded that
cryptosporidiosis found to be endemic in Wasit Province for the first time and the nested PCR was the most
reliable technique for its diagnosis.