Investigation of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia by direct f luorescent antibody-DFA method in stool specimens obtained f rom patients with diarrhea

Abstract

Aim. Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia intestinalis are important parasitic protozoan causingdiarrhea in developing and developed countries. Diagnosis of the Cryptosporidium oocyst in stoolsamples by conventional microscopy is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Thus, we aimed thepresence of these protozoa in patients with diarrhea and to evaluate the usefulness of directfluoresan antibody (DFA) test in detecting Cryptosporidium spp and G.intestinalis. from fecalspecimens. Methods. For this aim, microscopy and specific antigen detection methods were usedto determine Cryptosporidium spp. and G.intestinalis. One hundred stool specimens wereexamıned taken from patients with diarrhea whose ages ranged from 0 to 80 of applied to Hospitalof Cumhuriyet University, Numune and Goverment Hospital in Sivas. All samples were tested forCryptosporidium spp. G.intestinalis antigen by DFA and oocysts via gold Standard modified acid- fast staining for Cryptosporidium spp.and G.intestinalis direct microscopy. Results. One specimenwas found to be positive by modified acid-fast staining method and four specimens by DFAmethod were found to be positive for cryptosporidiosis. On the other hand two specimens werefound to be positive both direct microscopy and DFA for giardiosis. Conclusion. The results ofDFA test indicate that the simple, rapid, reliable, and standardized test is sensitive and specific forroutine diagnosis and may be useful for large-scale epidemiological studies of cryptosporidiosisand giardiosis.