Clinical Features and Risk Factors Associated with Cryptosporidiosis in Diarrhoiec Patients in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in developing countries vary widely implying that the infection can be more common than surveys of stool oocysts excretion demonstrate. Diarrhoea caused by Cryptosporidium species in childhood may be associated with subsequent impaired physical and cognitive development. Objective: This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and risk factors with the presence of Cryptosporidium species oocysts in human stool. Methods: The study is a cross-sectional survey carried out in Kaduna State. The study was a prospective cross-sectional study, a total of 600 diarrhoeic stool samples were collected and screened for oocysts of Cryptosporidium species using Sheather’s sugar flotation method. Results: The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis was 4.5%. Children under 5 years were found to have significantly (χ2 = 4.761, p = 0.029) higher prevalence (6.6%) than older patients (2.9%). Symptoms including abdominal pain (Fisher’s exact test = 0.001), fever (Fisher’s exact test = 0.016) and stool characteristics (Fisher’s exact test = 0.002) were also demonstrated to be significantly associated with cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidium infection in Kaduna State also had significant association (p ≤ 0.05) with place of residence (χ2 = 6.559, p = 0.010), where rural dwellers had 7.0% (18/257) prevalence and urban dweller had 2.6% (9/343); animal contact (χ2 = 12.848, p < 0.001), patients who admitted having contact with animals had 7.0% (25/357) prevalence as against 0.8% (2/248); and method of water treatment (χ2 = 16.486, p < 0.001), 7.1% (27/379) of subjects who did not treat their water before consumption had cryptosporidiosis. Conclusion: These findings show that cryptosporidiosis is prevalent in Kaduna State, Nigeria and pose a threat to public health. Important factors in dissemination of the parasite are age of patient, place of residence, animal contact and method of treatment of water. It was also found that clinical manifestation of the infection include abdominal pain, fever and stool characteristics. [Ocheme Julius Okojokwu, Bashiru Shafa Abubakar, Hezekiah Yusuf Azi, Edoama Edet Akpakpan, Joseph Aje Anejo-Okopi. Clinical Features and Risk Factors Associated with Cryptosporidiosis in Diarrhoiec Patients in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Life Sci J 2018;15(6):61-65]. ISSN: 1097-8135 (Print) / ISSN: 2372-613X (Online).