Abstract

Background:Cryptosoridiosis is an intestinal infection caused by intracellular protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium, which may appear as a persistent diarrhea in children, that may lead to malnutrition, growth stunt and wasting. Since Cryptosporidium disease does not produce a specific clinical syndrome which allows to distinguish it from other intestinal infections; therefore, the final diagnosis requires a microscopic test for detection of the parasite in stool. Methods: Prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in children was studied in Najaf province by microscopic examination of stool samples by modiefied acid stain method in 140 children with persistent diarrhea, and the positive cases were confirmed by using SSU rRNA-based PCR-detecting technique. Results: The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in children with persistent diarrhea was 12.85%, and the infection rate was higher in males (13.5%) than in females (12.1) and those with age less than 1 year (13.57%) than that of other age groups, and in children of the rural areas (14.3%) than that of the urban areas (10.5%). And the highest infection rate was recorded in May (3.57%). Conclusion: Cryptosporidium spp. is one of the most common enteric parasite that associate with persistent diarrhea in children.