STUDY THE PREVALENCE OF GIARDIASIS AND CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS AMONG CHILDREN AT AL-RESSAFA SIDE OF BAGHDAD BY COMPARISON BETWEEN THE EFFICIENCY OF SOME DIAGNOSTIC METHODS

Abstract

The present study is a cross sectional study conducted on children suffered fromwatery diarrhea at different ages attended to some special pediatric hospitals andprimary health care centers in Al-Ressafa side of Baghdad , Stool samples were collectedfrom 166 child during the period (from the 1st.of Nov. 2012, till the end of Jan. 2013) andexamined by Direct method, then they were examined using different laboratorydiagnostic methods including ELISA technique ,Concentrated method by flotationtechnique ,and Zehil -Nelssen staining methods .ELISA technique was used to detectGiardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium spp. which is the first survey conducted in Iraq toinvestigate the both parasites by the same kit .The results revealed that the infection rate was (6.63%) by using direct examcompared with (10.24%) Giardia lamblia using concentrated method by flotationtechnique and (37.35%) with Cryptosporidium spp. by Modified Zehil-Nelssen (M.Z.N.)method, and the infection rate was (39.76%) by using ELISA technique for the bothparasites.The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA technique in this study was (100%) and(64.51%) respectively when compared with direct microscopic exam, and (100%)sensitivity with ( 96.15%) specificity of ELISA compared with M.Z.N. method .The high infection rate was among children (≤5 years) old, especially at the age (≤1year) which was (72.7%) and (36.36%) respectively .