Nosocomial sources of cryptosporidial infection in newly admitted patients in Ain Shams University Pediatric Hospital

The present study included 104 patients and 27 contacts. Both were subjected to stool examination by modified Ziehl-Neelsen [MZN] stain. ELISA for the detection of cryptosporidium Ag in stool was further carried out for patients developed diarrhea after admission [12], patients admitted with diarrhea [17] and for contacts. Twenty-four water samples were collected from Pediatric Hospital and examined by MZN and ELISA. The results showed that 11.5% of the examined cases developed diarrhea after admission, 8% of them were positive for cryptosporidiosis by both MZN and ELISA. 17% of the contacts were negative by MZN stain. ELISA was found to be 100% sensitive and 94.1% specific. Water samples were found to be negative for C. parvum