Detection of Cryptosporidium spp. Co-infection with Rotavirus in Children Under Five Years with Diarrhea

Background: Cryptosporidium spp. and Rotavirus are recognized as important causes of acute gastroenteritis in children worldwide.
Objective: To determine the frequency of Cryptosporidium spp. and Rotavirus in children under five years with diarrhea.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 100 stool samples collected from children complaining from diarrhea with age ranged between 1-60 months. Samples were collected from Al-Imamein Al-Kadhimein Medical City, Al-Kadhimiya Children Hospital and Central Child Teaching Hospital in Baghdad during the period from December 2021 to May 2021. Conventional polymerase chain reaction was used to detect Cryptosporidium spp. while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect Rotavirus.
Results: The rate of Cryptosporidium infection was 39% and the rate of Rotavirus infection was 20.43%. Co-infection Cryptosporidium and Rotavirus found in seven patients.
Conclusion: Infection with Cryptosporidium may facilitate with infection with Rotavirus.
Keywords: Gastroenteritis, Cryptosporidium, Rotavirus, co-infection
Citation: Shayyal FK, Al-Marsomy HD, Ali SH. Detection of Cryptosporidium spp. co-infection with Rotavirus in children under five years with diarrhea. Iraqi JMS. 2024; 22(2): 308-313. doi: 10.22578/IJMS.22.2.16