Introduction: Cryptosporidium is a coccidian protozoa that is considered a major cause of diarrhea in animals and humans, especially in young children. Despite the reports on Cryptosporidium infection in several regions of Iran, this parasite is not examined in routine parasitological tests performed across the country. The present study was therefore conducted to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in children with acute diarrhea in Jahrom, Iran.
Materials & Methods: A total of 106 stool specimens from children with acute diarrhea under the age of 12 admitted to diagnostic clinical laboratories in Jahrom in 2014 were checked for Cryptosporidium infections. Samples were first concentrated with Formalin-Ether and then stained with the modified acid fast method and examined under an optical microscope.
Results: Only 2 children (1.9%), a boy aged 1 and a girl aged 3, were diagnosed with Cryptosporidiosis in the present study.
Conclusion: The present study was the first to show cryptosporidium infection in children in Jahrom. The very low percentage of infection with this parasite in Jahrom shows that Cryptosporidium is not yet considered a public health problem in this region.