Prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in faecal samples of some school children in Enugu State, Nigeria.

A total of 373 stool samples comprising 38 watery stool and 335 normal formed samples, collected from primary school children in Enugu State, Nigeria, were processed for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts. The formalin-methylene blue staining techniques were employed for the concentration and identification of the Oocysts in each sample. The results obtained were subjected to cross-tabulation analysis. Cryptosporidium Oocysts were identified in 15 of the 38 watery stool samples and in 81 of the 335 formed stool samples. Analysis of the data obtained showed that there was no significant difference in carrier rate of the parasite between school children from the urban town of Nsukka and those from the rural towns of Ovoko and Obukpa (P = 0.441). However, the rate of occurrence of the Oocysts was significantly higher in the watery stool than in the formed stool samples (P = < 0.0001).