Korean J Parasitol.  2015 Dec;53(6):745-747. 10.3347/kjp.2015.53.6.745.

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium Infection among Inhabitants of 2 Rural Areas in White Nile State, Sudan

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Environmental and Tropical Medicine, Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029', Korea.
  • 2Department of Infection Biology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon 35015, Korea.
  • 3Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul 07653, Korea.
  • 4Center for Schistosomiasis Control, White Nile Ministry of Health, Sudan.
  • 5Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea. hst@snu.ac.kr

Abstract

Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite that causes watery diarrhea, is found worldwide and is common in areas with low water hygiene. In February 2014, 866 stool samples were collected from the inhabitants of 2 rural areas in White Nile State, Sudan. These stool samples were assessed by performing modified acid-fast staining, followed by examination under a light microscope. The overall positive rate of Cryptosporidium oocysts was 13.3%. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in 8.6% stool samples obtained from inhabitants living in the area having water purification systems and in 14.6% stool samples obtained from inhabitants living in the area not having water purification systems. No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection between men and women (14.7% and 14.1%, respectively). The positive rate of oocysts by age was the highest among inhabitants in their 60s (40.0%). These findings suggest that the use of water purification systems is important for preventing Cryptosporidium infection among inhabitants of these rural areas in Sudan.

Keyword

Cryptosporidium; oocyst; prevalence; water purification; Sudan

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Child
Child, Preschool
Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology/*parasitology
Cryptosporidium/genetics/*isolation & purification
Feces/parasitology
Female
Humans
Infant
Male
Middle Aged
Prevalence
Rural Population
Sudan/epidemiology
Young Adult
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