Prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. and Isospora belli among AIDS patients attending santos reference center for AIDS, São Paulo, Brazil

People with AIDS (PWA) are particularly susceptible to severe chronic and debilitating infections with coccidian parasites of the genera Cryptosporidium and Isospora. The authors report findings from a study of 276 stool samples to assess the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. and Isospora belli. The samples came from 89 men and 42 women with AIDS and 27 men and 54 women presumed to be immunocompetent. Subjects in both the study and control groups were of average age approximately 33 years. The techniques employed included a modified formol-ether concentration carbol (phenol) auramine staining and a modified Kinyoun acid-fast method. Both coccidia were identified in 34 of the PWAs. Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts were found in 25 PWAs I. belli in 13 and coinfection in 4. Even though the control sample was too small to accurately assess the coccidial frequency among immunocompetent people it is written that neither Cryptosporidium sp. nor Isospora belli were found in the group.