Cryptosporidium spp. and rotavirus gastroenteritis and change of incidence after rotavirus vaccination among children in Raparin Pediatrics Hospital, Erbil, Iraq
Abstract: Watery diarrhea is
the most common medical problem among infants and young children, caused by
different microbial etiology including Cryptosporidium spp. and rotavirus,
which are usually misdiagnosed in conventional stool test. This study aimed to
investigate the incidence of Cryptosporidium and rotavirus gastroenteritis
among children in Erbil as well as evaluate the efficacy of rotavirus
vaccination procedure applied in Erbil.
Methods: Fecal specimens were collected from 400 children (boys and
girls), aged one month to five years old, who attended Raparin Pediatrics
Hospital in Erbil complaining from diarrhea, between January to August 2014.
Modified Ziehl Neelsen technique and nested PCR were used for detection of
cryptosporidiosis while rotavirus infection was detected by rapid CerTest.
Results: Rate of detection of cryptosporidiosis was remarkably higher
using PCR than Ziehl-Neelsen stain (0% versus 6%), and the infection was
slightly higher among boys (6.25% vs 5.55%) and children ≤2 years (11.7%). The
peak of infection reached during spring season (March and April) (9.5%). The
detection rate of rotavirus was 32.0%, which was slightly higher among males
(34.4% vs 30.0%) and in children between one to three years old (39.3%). The
highest detection rate (38.6%) was recorded during winter season (January and
February). The infection was significantly higher among non-vaccinated children
(65.9% vs 14.1%; p<0.05).
Conclusion: The incidence of cryptosporidiosis is declining. However,
rotavirus gastroenteritis was relatively high among young children in Erbil.
Rotateq vaccine significantly reduced the incidence of rotavirus infection.
Keywords: cryptosporidiosis;
gastroenteritis; rotavirus; vaccine
Author: Sally S. Azeez, Hadi
M. Alsakee
Journal Code: jpkedokterangg170234
