ABSTRACT

The acid-fast staining method is widely used in the diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis, a disease causing diarrhea in humans. However in this technique, some of Cryptosporidium spp oocysts can not be stained and seen as formed “ghost-like bodies” and which can only be evaluated by experienced microscopists. In the recent years, PCR technique which is proven to be also highly sensitive in diagnosis and genotyping, is used as an alternative method. In our study we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PCR in diagnosis of cryptosporodiosis. Thirty-three stool samples, belonging to 22 patients who applied to Ege University Hospital, Parasitology Clinic between August 2001 – August 2003 and microscopically diagnosed as cryptosporodiosis has been included in the study. Twenty-three of these 33 samples were processed immediately, while ten samples were stored in 10% formalin. As the control group, 11 stool samples including 8 specimens with different parasites and 3 negative samples were selected. Nested-PCR is applied to all samples. The sensitivity and specifity of the method for fresh and formalin preserved samples were found to be 100% and 50%, respectively. As a conclusion, PCR technique is found to be useful for diagnosis in cryptosporodiosis patients with especially those including few oocysts in their fresh feces.

Keywords: Cryptosporidium spp., nested-PCR, feces