Identification of Cryptosporidium Species Infecting Humans in Tunisia

Prevalence and species distribution of Cryptosporidium spp. were determined among 633 immunocompetent children less than five years of age and 75 patients hospitalized for immunodeficiency who lived in northern Tunisia. Microscopy was used for initial screening to detect positive samples and a nested polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to determine the species. Cryptosporidium spp. was identified in 2.7% of cases (19 stool samples), and there was a significant difference between samples collected from immunocompromised patients and those collected from healthy children (10.7% versus 1.7%). Prevalence was also significantly higher in diarrheal specimens than in formed specimens (6.3% versus 1.6%). Cyptosporidium hominis and C. parvum were responsible for most Cryptosporidium spp. infections (78.9%). Cryptosporidium hominis was more prevalent in children from urban areas than in those from rural areas, and C parvum was found with similar prevalence rates in the two populations. Cryptosporidium meleagridis was identified in four children on farms.