Detection of cryptosporidium oocysts in acute diarrheal stools.

Three hundred and fifty stool samples from patients with acute diarrhea and 30 samples from normal healthy controls were examined for the presence of various parasitic and bacterial enteropathogens by conventional techniques. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in 15 out of 350 (4.3%) fecal samples. In 10 cases (2.9%) it was identified as a sole pathogen while in 5 cases (1.4%) it was isolated in association with cysts of E. histolytica, Giardia lamblia and with Salmonella typhimurium. Ten out of fifteen cases were in the pediatric age group. None of the 30 control cases had Cryptosporidium oocysts in their stools.