Occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in fecal samples submitted for routine microbiological examination

During a 7-month period, 2,252 fecal samples submitted for routine microbiological examination from 1,621 patients were screened for Cryptosporidium oocysts by the auramine staining method with Kinyoun acid-fast stain as the confirmatory stain. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in fecal samples from 19 (1.2%) patients, 18 of whom had gastroenteritis. Diarrheic stools from 14 of these 18 patients were negative for the usual enteropathogens …