Cryptosporidiosis in Philippine children.

Cryptosporidiosis, a newly recognized parasitosis of humans is being identified with increased frequency in immunocompromised and more recently in immunocompetent persons with gastroenteritis and or diarrhea. It has been found in the Philippines for the first time in children seen at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. A total of 735 stool specimens from adults and children with diarrhea were examined by the Ziehl-Neelson and Kinyoun acid-fast methods and 2.9% of the children 6 to 20 months of age were found passing Cryptosporidium oocysts. This parasitic infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cases of diarrhea in both immunodeficient and immunocompetent persons.