Journal of School of Public Health and

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Cryptosporidiosis is a parasitic zoonosis prevalent all over the world and recognized as one of the important causes of diarrhea in children and immunodeficient subjects. The manifestations range from self-limited acute diarrhea in immunocompetent individuals to fatal chronic diarrhea in immunocompromised patients. In this study, conducted in Greater Tehran, 214 patients in 7 disease categories in 10 hospitals were investigated. Samples were collected from both patients with immune deficiency symptoms (Test group) and those with an intact immune system (Control group). Overall, 22.4% of patients had diarrhea and 77.6% had stools with a normal consistency. 1.4% of immunocompromised patients and 6.3% of those with diarrhea were found to harbor Cryptosporidium infections. These Cryptosporidium-positive cases included one patient with AML and two AIDS patients. The incidence rate of infection in AML and AIDS patients who had diarrhea was 11.1% and 33.4%, respectively. While the infection is usually self-limited in immunocompetent subjects, it could be fatal in immunodeficiency states. Therefore attention must be paid to effective disease prevention in immunocompromised subjects.

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  Background and Aim: Water and food born diseases are one of the important causes of morbidity and mortality in through the world. The objective of this study was to investigate factors affecting the persistence of diarrheal cases after the explosive epidemic phase of diarrheal disease in Yazd province.

  Materials and Methods: We designed a match case control study that was performed on base of incidence cases of diarrhea since 24 Aug, 2013 to 03 Sept, 2013.Characteristics of cases and control were obtained by interviewers using a pre-determined questionnaire. Logistic regression was used at 0.05 significant level.

  Results: Totally 69 incidences cases of diarrhea were compared with 138 controls. Incidence rate of diarrhea in Yazd province was 13.79 per thousand. The adjusted odds ratio estimate for presence a patient stricken with gastroenteritis in the household was 3.63 [95% CI: 1.43, 9.20]. The adjusted odds ratio for low education, history of the trip, history of contact with patient and eating outside the home were 1.75, 1.55, 1.93 and 1.37 respectively, that increase odds of disease but their effects was not statistically significant.

  Conclusion: In this study the most important risk factor for diarrhea was history of contact with the person with the disease in the household. This result may indicate the lack of personal hygiene by patients and their relatives and thus transmission of disease to others peoples. Therefore the role of health education and informing about transmission and preventive ways is very important in prevention and control of outbreaks of diarrhea diseases.