Detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia intestinalis in bedouin children from Southern Israel

J. El-On, R. Dagan, D. Fraser, R. J. Deckelbaum

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

During an 18 month period, a total of 4796 stool specimens collected from 151 Bedouin children enrolled in a cohort study and followed from birth, were screened for Giardia intestinalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and other intestinal parasites. Specimens were collected in phenol-alcohol-formalin (PAF) preservative and examined prior to, and after, formalin-ether concentration (FEC). During 6 months of the second year Giardia intestinalis was observed in 17.6% of the specimens and Cryptosporidium in 0.9% as compared with 1.8% (Giardia intestinalis (and 1.6% (Cryptosporidium) observed during the first year. Giardia intestinalis was detected in 8.4% (407/4796) of all the samples examined and Cryptosporidium in 1.3% (63/4796). Other intestinal protozoan parasites and helminthic ova demonstrated in the stool specimens included: Entamoeba coli (0.1%); Entamoeba histolytica (< 0.1%); Hymenolepis nana (0.1%); and Trichuris Irichiura (< 0.1%). Mixed infection with 2 parasites was observed in 0.3% of the specimens. PAF fixation was found to be highly effective in preserving the integrity and antigenicity of both Cryptosporidium-oocysts and Giardia intestinalis-cysts. The detection rate of Giardia intestinalis and Cryptosporidium before FEC was not significantly different from that obtained after FEC, showing differences of only 1% and 3% for Giardia intestinalis and Cryptosporidium, respectively.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)409-411
Number of pages3
JournalInternational Journal for Parasitology
Volume24
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 1994

Keywords

  • (FEC)
  • (PAF)
  • Cryptosporidium
  • Giardia intestinalis
  • formalin-ether concentration
  • phenol-alcohol-formalin fixation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Infectious Diseases

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