Diagnosis and treatment of cryptosporidiosis in children.

Clinicians have only recently become aware that Cryptosporidium is a major human pathogen, causing a self-limited gastroenteritis in immunocompetent individuals and profound enteropathy in the immunocompromised. Among the immunologically intact, children appear more prone to clinically significant cryptosporidiosis than do adults. Diagnosis is most easily made by a specialized three-step stool examination, but mucosal biopsy may also be necessary to establish the diagnosis. Although no satisfactory antibiotic therapy exists today, cases of cryptosporidiosis in the community and hospital should be identified in order to contain human transmission. Only then can spread from immunocompetent individuals to immunodeficient individuals be avoided.