[Incidence of Cryptosporidium sp in patients treated in a general hospital. Technics for the identification of oocysts in feces].

In feces referred for parasite investigation from 1973 patients of the Hospital Clinico Universitario in Salamanca, 27 instances of infestation by Cryptosporidium sp (1.5% of all investigated patients) were detected in 19 children (1.4%) and 8 adults (2.2%). The incidence in patients with antibodies against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was 12.5%, in contrast with 1.25% in patients without anti-HIV antibodies. 55.5% of the instances of Cryptosporidium sp infestation were found in children less than 4 years old. The higher incidence was in winter and spring. The association with other enteropathogens was found in 14.8%. Diarrhea and abdominal pain were the most common clinical features of cryptosporidial disease. Chronic diarrhea was found in two adult patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In immunocompromised children and adults asymptomatic carriers were found. The sensitivity and specificity of immunofluorescence testing with monoclonal antibodies as compared with Ziehl-Neelsen stain for the detection of Cryptosporidium sp oocysts were 100%.