Introduction: Cryptosporidium parvum is an Apicomplexan protozoan that can cause acute diarrhea in humans and animals. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of this infection in adults with acute diarrhea presenting to diagnostic medical laboratories in Jahrom, Iran, in 2014.
Materials & Methods: The present descriptive study was conducted on 117 adults with acute diarrhea presenting to diagnostic medical laboratories in Jahrom. The patients’ epidemiological data were collected using a questionnaire. After they were condensed with Formalin-Ether and stained with modified Ziehl-Neelsen, the patients' stool samples were examined for cryptosporidium parvum oocysts both under the microscope and using the Nested-PCR method. The data obtained were analyzed in SPSS-16.
Results: of the total of 117 adults presenting with acute diarrhea, only one (0.9%) was found to be Cryptosporidium parvum positive both through the Ziehl-Neelsen staining and the Nested-PCR method.
Conclusion: The results of the examinations with microscopic and molecular methods showed a very low percentage of cryptosporidium infection in adults. Given the higher cost of the molecular method compared to the microscopic method, the modified acid-fast staining method can be used as an alternative, provided that it is performed by technicians who are experienced in detecting this parasite.