Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 34 in total

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  1. Hashan MR, Elhusseiny KM, Huu-Hoai L, Tieu TM, Low SK, Minh LHN, et al.
    Acta Trop, 2020 Oct;210:105603.
    PMID: 32598920 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105603
    We aimed to systematically review evidence pertaining to the safety and efficacy of nitazoxanide in treating infectious diarrhea. On September 21, 2017, we identified relevant studies using 12 databases. The estimates of the included studies were pooled as a risk ratio (RR). We conducted a network and pairwise random-effects meta-analysis for both direct and indirect comparisons of different organisms that are known to cause diarrhea. The primary and secondary analysis outcomes were clinical response until cessation of illness, parasitological response and adverse events. We included 18 studies in our analysis. In cryptosporidiosis, the overall estimate favored nitazoxanide in its clinical response in comparison with placebo RR 1.46 [95% CI 1.22-1.74; P-value <0.0001]. Network meta-analysis among patients with Giardia intestinalis showed an increase in the probability of diarrheal cessation and parasitological responses in comparison with placebo, RR 1.69 [95% CI 1.08-2.64, P-score 0.27] and RR 2.91 [95% CI 1.72-4.91, P-score 0.55] respectively. In Clostridium difficile infection, the network meta-analysis revealed a non-significantly superior clinical response effect of nitazoxanide to metronidazole 31 days after treatment RR 1.21 [95% CI 0.87-1.69, P-score 0.26]. In Entamoeba histolytica, the overall estimate significantly favored nitazoxanide in parasitological response with placebo RR 1.80 [95% CI 1.35-2.40, P-value < 0.001]. We highlighted the effectiveness of nitazoxanide in the cessation of diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium, Giardia intestinalis and Entamoeba histolytica infection. We also found significant superiority of NTZ to metronidazole in improving the clinical response to G. intestinalis, thus it may be a suitable candidate for treating infection-induced diarrhea. To prove the superiority of NTZ during a C. difficile infection may warrant a larger-scale clinical trial since its superiority was deemed insignificant. We recommend nitazoxanide as an appropriate option for treating infectious diarrhea.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/drug therapy
  2. Al-Mekhlafi HM, Mahdy MA, 'Azlin MY, Fatmah MS, Norhayati M
    Ann Trop Med Parasitol, 2011 Mar;105(2):135-43.
    PMID: 21396250 DOI: 10.1179/136485911X12899838683368
    Cryptosporidium is a coccidian parasite that is prevalent worldwide, some species of which cause morbidity in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. The prevalence and predictors of Cryptosporidium infection, and its effect on nutritional status, have recently been explored among 276 children (141 boys and 135 girls, aged 2-15 years) in aboriginal (Orang Asli) villages in the Malaysian state of Selangor. Faecal smears were examined by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique while socio-economic data were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric measurements. Cryptosporidium infection, which was detected in 7.2% of the aboriginal children, was found to be significantly associated with low birthweight (≤2.5 kg), being part of a large household (with more than seven members) and prolonged breast feeding (>2 years). The output of a binary logistic regression confirmed that large household size was a significant predictor of Cryptosporidium infection (giving an odds ratio of 2.15, with a 95% confidence interval of 1.25-5.02). Cryptosporidium infection is clearly a public-health problem among the aboriginal children of Selangor, with person-to-person the most likely mode of transmission.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/ethnology*; Cryptosporidiosis/etiology; Cryptosporidiosis/physiopathology
  3. Bilung LM, Tahar AS, Yunos NE, Apun K, Lim YA, Nillian E, et al.
    Biomed Res Int, 2017;2017:4636420.
    PMID: 29234679 DOI: 10.1155/2017/4636420
    Cryptosporidiosis and cyclosporiasis are caused by waterborne coccidian protozoan parasites of the genera Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora, respectively. This study was conducted to detect Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora oocysts from environmental water abstracted by drinking water treatment plants and recreational activities in Sarawak, Malaysia. Water samples (12 each) were collected from Sungai Sarawak Kanan in Bau and Sungai Sarawak Kiri in Batu Kitang, respectively. In addition, 6 water samples each were collected from Ranchan Recreational Park and UNIMAS Lake at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, respectively. Water physicochemical parameters were also recorded. All samples were concentrated by the iron sulfate flocculation method followed by the sucrose floatation technique. Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora were detected by modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique. Correlation of the parasites distribution with water physicochemical parameters was analysed using bivariate Pearson correlation. Based on the 24 total samples of environmental water abstracted by drinking water treatment plants, all the samples (24/24; 100%) were positive with Cryptosporidium, and only 2 samples (2/24; 8.33%) were positive with Cyclospora. Based on the 12 total samples of water for recreational activities, 4 samples (4/12; 33%) were positive with Cryptosporidium, while 2 samples (2/12; 17%) were positive with Cyclospora. Cryptosporidium oocysts were negatively correlated with dissolved oxygen (DO).
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/parasitology; Cryptosporidiosis/transmission
  4. Muhid A, Robertson I, Ng J, Ryan U
    Exp Parasitol, 2011 Feb;127(2):534-8.
    PMID: 21050848 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2010.10.015
    A cross-sectional study was carried out to identify species and determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. shedding in pre-weaned and post-weaned dairy calves and to identify management factors that may be contributing to disease. A total of 240 calf faecal samples were collected from 16 farms in two districts in Johor, Malaysia, and screened by PCR. The overall Cryptosporidium prevalence was 27.1%. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in pre-weaned calves was 32.4% for C. parvum, 26.5% for C. bovis, followed by C. andersoni (20.6%), C. ryanae (11.8%) and mixed sp. (8.8%). The prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in post-weaned calves was 35% for C. bovis followed by C. andersoni and C. ryanae (30% each) and mixed sp. (5%). Subtyping analysis of 8 of the 11 C. parvum isolates at the gp60 locus identified five isolates as IIdA15G1, one as IIa18A3R1 and two isolates as IIa17G2R1. Management factors that increased the risk of Cryptosporidium infection included having other cattle farms close by, feeding calves with saleable milk, keeping pre-weaned calves in pens with slatted floors and keeping post-weaned calves in pens with a sand floor.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology; Cryptosporidiosis/prevention & control
  5. Lim YA, Iqbal A, Surin J, Sim BL, Jex AR, Nolan MJ, et al.
    Infect Genet Evol, 2011 Jul;11(5):968-74.
    PMID: 21439404 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.03.007
    Given the HIV epidemic in Malaysia, genetic information on opportunistic pathogens, such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia, in HIV/AIDS patients is pivotal to enhance our understanding of epidemiology, patient care, management and disease surveillance. In the present study, 122 faecal samples from HIV/AIDS patients were examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts using a conventional coproscopic approach. Such oocysts and cysts were detected in 22.1% and 5.7% of the 122 faecal samples, respectively. Genomic DNAs from selected samples were tested in a nested-PCR, targeting regions of the small subunit (SSU) of nuclear ribosomal RNA and the 60kDa glycoprotein (gp60) genes (for Cryptosporidium), and the triose-phosphate isomerase (tpi) gene (for Giardia), followed by direct sequencing. The sequencing of amplicons derived from SSU revealed that Cryptosporidium parvum was the most frequently detected species (64% of 25 samples tested), followed by C. hominis (24%), C. meleagridis (8%) and C. felis (4%). Sequencing of a region of gp60 identified C. parvum subgenotype IIdA15G2R1 and C. hominis subgenotypes IaA14R1, IbA10G2R2, IdA15R2, IeA11G2T3R1 and IfA11G1R2. Sequencing of amplicons derived from tpi revealed G. duodenalis assemblage A, which is of zoonotic importance. This is the first report of C. hominis, C. meleagridis and C. felis from Malaysian HIV/AIDS patients. Future work should focus on an extensive analysis of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in such patients as well as in domestic and wild animals, in order to improve the understanding of transmission patterns and dynamics in Malaysia. It would also be particularly interesting to establish the relationship among clinical manifestation, CD4 cell counts and genotypes/subgenotypes of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in HIV/AIDS patients. Such insights would assist in a better management of clinical disease in immuno-deficient patients as well as improved preventive and control strategies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/complications; Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology; Cryptosporidiosis/parasitology*
  6. Salleh FM, Moktar N, Yasin AM, Al-Mekhlafi HM, Anuar TS
    J Microbiol Methods, 2014 Nov;106:143-145.
    PMID: 25193442 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2014.08.019
    To improve the stool concentration procedure, we modified different steps of the standard formalin-ether concentration technique and evaluated these modifications by examining stool samples collected in the field. Seven samples were found positive by the modified formalin-ether concentration technique (M-FECT). Therefore, the M-FECT procedure provides enhanced detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/diagnosis*; Cryptosporidiosis/microbiology
  7. Menon BS, Abdullah MS, Mahamud F, Singh B
    J Trop Pediatr, 1999 Aug;45(4):241-2.
    PMID: 10467838
    In this prospective study, we examined stool specimens from children with cancer receiving chemotherapy who were admitted for fever to the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in Kota Baru, Kelantan. Stool specimens were examined for ova and cysts of parasites. Over a period of 15 months, there were 129 febrile episodes in 50 children with cancer and, in all, 237 stool specimens were examined. Sixty-six per cent of febrile episodes were associated with neutropenia and 9 per cent were associated with diarrhoea. Stool parasites were found in 42 per cent of children. The most common were helminths, followed by protozoa. Trichuris trichiura was the most common parasite (24 per cent), followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (22 per cent). Hookworm was found in 2 per cent. Giardia lamblia was found in 6 per cent of children, Blastocystis hominis in 4 per cent, and Cryptosporidium parvum in 2 per cent.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology*
  8. Lim YA, Ahmad RA, Smith HV
    J Water Health, 2008 Jun;6(2):239-54.
    PMID: 18209286 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2008.023
    Cryptosporidium and Giardia are major causes of diarrhoeal diseases of humans worldwide, and are included in the World Health Organisation's 'Neglected Diseases Initiative'. Cryptosporidium and Giardia occur commonly in Malaysian human and non-human populations, but their impact on disease, morbidity and cost of illness is not known. The commonness of contributions from human (STW effluents, indiscriminate defaecation) and non-human (calving, lambing, muck spreading, slurry spraying, pasturing/grazing of domestic animals, infected wild animals) hosts indicate that many Malaysian environments, particularly water and soil, are sufficiently contaminated to act as potential vehicles for the transmission of disease. To gain insight into the morbidity and mortality caused by human cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis, they should be included into differential diagnoses, and routine laboratory testing should be performed and (as for many infectious diseases) reported to a centralised public health agency. To understand transmission routes and the significance of environmental contamination better will require further multidisciplinary approaches and shared resources, including raising national perceptions of the parasitological quality of drinking water. Here, the detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia should be an integral part of the water quality requirement. A multidisciplinary approach among public health professionals in the water industry and other relevant health- and environment-associated agencies is also required in order to determine the significance of Cryptosporidium and Giardia contamination of Malaysian drinking water. Lastly, adoption of validated methods to determine the species, genotype and subgenotype of Cryptosporidium and Giardia present in Malaysia will assist in developing effective risk assessment, management and communication models.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology*; Cryptosporidiosis/transmission
  9. Sinniah, B., Sinniah, D.
    MyJurnal
    Cryptosporidium is an intestinal protozoan parasite which causes diarrhoea in animals and has recently been reported to cause similar symptoms in man. Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic infection and the first human case was reported in 1976.2 Since then the number of cases has increased by the hundreds especially among patients with acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (AIDS), as a result of the severe symptoms that they cause in the im-munosuppressed patients and also due to the better screening techniques which have been developed resulting in the detection of cases.3 To date 20 species of Cryptosporidium have been reported but these cannot be differentiated morphologically. The differences are based mainly on the host from which the parasites were recovered. The species responsible for causing infection in man is Cryptosporidium parvum.4 Of the 20 species reported several are invalid because the oocysts of some of them were found to be the same as the sporocyst of Sarcocystis. It is now concluded that there are only two species that infect mammals (C. Muris and C. parvum). (Copied from article).
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis
  10. Baha Latif
    Medical Health Reviews, 2009;2009(2):27-46.
    MyJurnal
    This review places emphasis on the food and water borne protozoal diseases like, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, cyclosporiasis, and toxoplasmosis which are endemic in many parts of the world. The article addresses cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, cyclosporiasis, and toxoplasmosis. Cryptosporidium and Giardia are widespread in the environment and major outbreaks have occurred as a result of contaminated drinking water. Cyclospora has significance in the preparation and consumption of fresh food that have not received heat treatment. Toxoplasma gondii, transmission occur through contaminated water, unpasteurised milk and also the consumption of raw meat, which has been regarded as a major route of transmission to humans .These parasitic protozoa do not multiply in foods, but they may survive in or on moist foods for months especially in cool and damp environment. Their ecology makes control of these parasites difficult. Transmission, clinical manifestations, outbreaks, public health surveillance and control measures that are used for those diseases will be reviewed in this article.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis
  11. Yap NJ, Koehler AV, Ebner J, Tan TK, Lim YA, Gasser RB
    Mol Cell Probes, 2016 Feb;30(1):39-43.
    PMID: 26775614 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2016.01.002
    Despite the importance of the cattle industry in Malaysia, there are very few studies of the diversity and public health significance of bovine cryptosporidiosis in this country. In the present study, we used a PCR-based approach to detect and genetically characterize Cryptosporidium DNA in faecal samples from a cohort of 215 asymptomatic cattle (of different ages) from six farms from five states of Peninsular Malaysia. Cattle on four of the six farms were test-positive for Cryptosporidium, with an overall prevalence of 3.2%. Cryptosporidium bovis and Cryptosporidium ryanae were detected in two (0.9%) and five (2.3%) samples tested; this low prevalence likely relates to the age of the cattle tested, as most (73%) of the samples tested originated from cattle that were ≥2 years of age. Future studies should investigate the zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium in pre-weaned and weaned calves in rural communities of Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/diagnosis; Cryptosporidiosis/parasitology*
  12. Quah JX, Ambu S, Lim YA, Mahdy MA, Mak JW
    Parasitology, 2011 Apr;138(5):573-7.
    PMID: 21232175 DOI: 10.1017/S0031182010001691
    Cryptosporidium species are protozoan parasites that infect humans and a wide variety of animals. This study was aimed at identifying Cryptosporidium species and genotypes isolated from avian hosts. A total of 90 samples from 37 different species of birds were collected throughout a 3-month period from April 2008 to June 2008 in the National Zoo of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Prior to molecular characterization, all samples were screened for Cryptosporidium using a modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. Subsequently samples were analysed with nested-PCR targeting the partial SSU rRNA gene. Amplicons were sequenced in both directions and used for phylogenetic analysis using Neighbour-Joining and Maximum Parsimony methods. Although 9 (10%) samples were positive for Cryptosporidium via microscopy, 8 (8.9%) produced amplicons using nested PCR. Phylogenetic trees identified all the isolates as Cryptosporidium parvum. Although C. parvum has not been reported to cause infection in birds, and the role of birds in this study was postulated mainly as mechanical transporters, these present findings highlight the significant public health risk posed by birds that harbour the zoonotic species of Cryptosporidium.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology; Cryptosporidiosis/parasitology
  13. Alyousefi NA, Mahdy MA, Lim YA, Xiao L, Mahmud R
    Parasitology, 2013 May;140(6):729-34.
    PMID: 23369243 DOI: 10.1017/S0031182012001953
    Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite of humans and animals and has a worldwide distribution. The parasite has a unique epidemiology in Middle Eastern countries where the IId subtype family of Cryptosporidium parvum dominates. However, there has been no information on Cryptosporidium species in Yemen. Thus, this study was conducted in Yemen to examine the distribution of Cryptosporidium species and subtype families. Fecal samples were collected from 335 patients who attended hospitals in Sana'a city. Cryptosporidium species were determined by PCR and sequence analysis of the 18 s rRNA gene. Cryptosporidium parvum and C. hominis subtypes were identified based on sequence analysis of the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene. Out of 335 samples, 33 (9.9%) were positive for Cryptosporidium. Of them, 97% were identified as C. parvum whilst 1 case (3%) was caused by C. hominis. All 7 C. parvum isolates subtyped belonged to the IIaA15G2R1 subtype. The common occurrence of the zoonotic IIa subtype family of C. parvum highlights the potential occurrence of zoonotic transmission of cryptosporidiosis in Yemen. However, this postulation needs confirmation with future molecular epidemiological studies of cryptosporidiosis in both humans and animals in Yemen.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology; Cryptosporidiosis/parasitology*
  14. Tan TK, Low VL, Ng WH, Ibrahim J, Wang D, Tan CH, et al.
    Parasitol Int, 2019 Apr;69:110-113.
    PMID: 30590124 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2018.12.007
    This report describes the detection of zoonotic Cryptosporidium muris, C. parvum subgenotype IIa and Giardia duodenalis genotype B in urban rodents in Malaysia. A rare occurrence of C. meleagridis was also reported suggesting a role of rodents in mechanical transmission of this pathogen. Utilization of DNA sequencing and subtyping analysis confirmed the presence of zoonotic C. parvum subtypes IIaA17G2R1 and IIaA16G3R1 for the first time in rodents.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis
  15. Shrivastava AK, Kumar S, Sahu PS, Mahapatra RK
    Parasitol Res, 2017 May;116(5):1533-1544.
    PMID: 28389892 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5430-1
    Computational approaches to predict structure/function and other biological characteristics of proteins are becoming more common in comparison to the traditional methods in drug discovery. Cryptosporidiosis is a major zoonotic diarrheal disease particularly in children, which is caused primarily by Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium parvum. Currently, there are no vaccines for cryptosporidiosis and recommended drugs are ineffective. With the availability of complete genome sequence of C. hominis, new targets have been recognized for the development of effective and better drugs and/or vaccines. We identified a unique hypothetical protein (TU502HP) in the C. hominis genome from the CryptoDB database. A three-dimensional model of the protein was generated using the Iterative Threading ASSEmbly Refinement server through an iterative threading method. Functional annotation and phylogenetic study of TU502HP protein revealed similarity with human transportin 3. The model is further subjected to a virtual screening study form the ZINC database compound library using the Dock Blaster server. A docking study through AutoDock software reported N-(3-chlorobenzyl)ethane-1,2-diamine as the best inhibitor in terms of docking score and binding energy. The reliability of the binding mode of the inhibitor is confirmed by a complex molecular dynamics simulation study using GROMACS software for 10 ns in the water environment. Furthermore, antigenic determinants of the protein were determined with the help of DNASTAR software. Our findings report a great potential in order to provide insights in the development of new drug(s) or vaccine(s) for treatment and prophylaxis of cryptosporidiosis among humans and animals.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/diagnosis; Cryptosporidiosis/drug therapy*
  16. Iqbal A, Lim YA, Surin J, Sim BL
    PLoS One, 2012;7(2):e31139.
    PMID: 22347442 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031139
    Currently, there is a lack of vital information in the genetic makeup of Cryptosporidium especially in developing countries. The present study aimed at determining the genotypes and subgenotypes of Cryptosporidium in hospitalized Malaysian human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/classification
  17. Matsubayashi M, Teramoto-Kimata I, Uni S, Lillehoj HS, Matsuda H, Furuya M, et al.
    J Biol Chem, 2013 Nov 22;288(47):34111-34120.
    PMID: 24085304 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M113.515544
    The phylum Apicomplexa comprises obligate intracellular parasites that infect vertebrates. All invasive forms of Apicomplexa possess an apical complex, a unique assembly of organelles localized to the anterior end of the cell and involved in host cell invasion. Previously, we generated a chicken monoclonal antibody (mAb), 6D-12-G10, with specificity for an antigen located in the apical cytoskeleton of Eimeria acervulina sporozoites. This antigen was highly conserved among Apicomplexan parasites, including other Eimeria spp., Toxoplasma, Neospora, and Cryptosporidium. In the present study, we identified the apical cytoskeletal antigen of Cryptosporidium parvum (C. parvum) and further characterized this antigen in C. parvum to assess its potential as a target molecule against cryptosporidiosis. Indirect immunofluorescence demonstrated that the reactivity of 6D-12-G10 with C. parvum sporozoites was similar to those of anti-β- and anti-γ-tubulins antibodies. Immunoelectron microscopy with the 6D-12-G10 mAb detected the antigen both on the sporozoite surface and underneath the inner membrane at the apical region of zoites. The 6D-12-G10 mAb significantly inhibited in vitro host cell invasion by C. parvum. MALDI-TOF/MS and LC-MS/MS analysis of tryptic peptides revealed that the mAb 6D-12-G10 target antigen was elongation factor-1α (EF-1α). These results indicate that C. parvum EF-1α plays an essential role in mediating host cell entry by the parasite and, as such, could be a candidate vaccine antigen against cryptosporidiosis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/genetics; Cryptosporidiosis/immunology; Cryptosporidiosis/metabolism; Cryptosporidiosis/prevention & control
  18. Hisamuddin NH, Hashim N, Soffian SN, Amin MH, Wahab RA, Mohammad M, et al.
    Korean J Parasitol, 2016 Apr;54(2):197-200.
    PMID: 27180579 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2016.54.2.197
    Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite, can cause cryptosporidiosis which is a gastrointestinal disease that can infect humans and livestock. Cattle are the most common livestock that can be infected with this protozoan. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia and to find out the association between the occurrence of infection and 3 different ages of cattle (calves less than 1 year, yearling, and adult cattle). The samples were processed by using formol-ether concentration technique and stained by modified Ziehl Neelsen. The results showed that 15.9% (24/151) of cattle were positive for Cryptosporidium oocysts. The occurrence of Cryptosporidium in calves less than 1 year was the highest with the percentage of 20.0% (11/55) followed by yearling and adult cattle, with the percentage occurrence of 15.6 % (7/45) and 11.8% (6/51), respectively. There was no significant association between the occurrence and age of cattle and presence of diarrhea. Good management practices and proper hygiene management must be taken in order to reduce the infection. It is highly important to control the infection since infected cattle may serve as potential reservoirs of the infection to other animals and humans, especially animal handlers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology*; Cryptosporidiosis/parasitology
  19. Ng KP, Shekhar KC
    Med J Malaysia, 1993 Sep;48(3):293-6.
    PMID: 8183141
    A total of 320 faecal specimens obtained from 295 patients (192 children and 103 adults) with diarrhoea and 47 faecal specimens from healthy adults were screened for Cryptosporidium oocysts. Faecal specimens were first screened by modified Ziehl Neelsen stain and specimens with oocysts were confirmed by direct immunofluorescence technique. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in 4 children but not in normal healthy adults or in diarrhoeic adults.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/etiology; Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology*
  20. Asady A, Ismail S, Marsitah AJ, Pakeer O
    Med J Malaysia, 2019 12;74(6):468-471.
    PMID: 31929470
    INTRODUCTION: Cryptosporidium spp. is identified as an important cause of diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality worldwide particularly in children below five years of age and immunocompromised individuals. Infections are present among cattle and humans. Until now, there is no report on its prevalence in humans in Kuantan. The aim of this study is to record the prevalence and associated risk factors of Cryptosporidium spp. infection among children admitted to Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA), Kuantan.

    METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted among children admitted to the Paediatrics ward in HTAA between December 2017 and May 2018. Faecal samples were examined using wet smear and Modified Ziehl-Neelsen (MZN) staining techniques. Data on demography and hygiene practices was collected using a pretested questionnaire, and analysed using SPSS version 22.

    RESULTS: One hundred thirty five children (95.6% were of Malay ethnicity) were included in the study. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection was 25.2%. The prevalence was slightly higher in females (28.1%) than males (23.1%). The prevalence was higher than expected. This study showed that some risk factors namely children's age and trash disposal methods were significantly associated with Cryptosporidium spp. infection (p<0.05).

    CONCLUSION: Higher prevalence could possibly be due to an outbreak of this infection or until now undetected.

    Matched MeSH terms: Cryptosporidiosis/microbiology; Cryptosporidiosis/epidemiology*
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