[The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis among the city population of Russia and Belarus].

A total of 248 adults (170 with somatic diseases and 78 with the diarrheal syndrome) and 1206 children (323 attending kindergartens, 231 with somatic diseases, and 652 with the diarrheal syndrome), residents of seven towns of Russia and Belarus, were examined for cryptosporidiosis in 1989-1992. The mean infection rate of children and adults with the diarrheal syndrome was 4.8 and 2.7%, respectively, of those with somatic diseases 2.6 and 0% respectively, and of healthy children 1.9%. Children living in the towns of Belarus, localized in the radiation contamination zone, were more frequently infected than children living in other towns. The towns of the European Russia and Belarus should be regarded as stable foci of cryptosporidiosis infection.