Prevalence of cryptosporidium parvum in 6-60 month old children presenting with diarrhoea at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Background: Diarrhoea remains one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in the tropics. Since the discovery of HI V-I in 1982, C. parvum has become an increasingly important cause of diarrhea, especially in immunocompromised patients. It has been associated with large outbreaks of diarrhoea from treated water supplies. Data on prevalence in children is mainly from industrialized countries and ranges from 1 % to 3.6%, with only scanty data from the African region ranging from 5.2% to 26%. The prevalence in Kenya is 18% in malnourished children.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of Cparvum in 6-60 month old children presenting with diarrhoea and to relate this to social, demographic and clinical correlates of Cparvum in these children. Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital, Paediatric Filter Clinic Subjects: 6-60 month old children presenting with diarrhoea. Main outcome measures: Prevalence ofC. parvum is 14.5%. Low caretakers level of education is associated with increased prevalence of C. parvum diarrhoea. C. parvum infection is more prevalent among children with HIV seropositivity (37%) than HIV seronegative children (10%).