The epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis and other intestinal parasitoses in children in southern Guinea-Bissau

Abstract

In order to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and other intestinal parasites, a household sample survey of children under 5 years old was carried out during the late dry season in 8 rural villages in southern Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 10 of 270 stool samples (3·7%), using a safranin-methylene blue staining method. Of these 10 children (age range 5–16 months), all non-Muslims, 6 had diarrhoea, giving a prevalence of 12·5% in 48 children with diarrhoea, compared with 1·8% in children without diarrhoea ( P<0·001). The ethnic group with the highest prevalence (9·2%) also kept most domestic animals, and was the only group to keep cattle. Giardia lamblia was found in 16 children, and the overall prevalences of other enteric parasites were: hookworm, 21·7%; Strongyloides stercoralis, 7·4%; Ascaris lumbricoides, 6·9%; Trichuris trichiura, 4·4%; Entamoeba histolytica, 1·5%; and Taenia sp., 0·5%. The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis was highest in the age group 7–12 months, while for the other parasites it was highest in the oldest children. The prevalence of hookwork was highest (c. 50%) in the southernmost villages. No significant relationship was found between hookworm infection and anaemia.