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Background: Diarrheic children are more vulnerable to a variety of pathogens including gastrointestinal parasites. Cryptosporidiosis is a major etiology of chronic diarrhea in Egyptian children; it has both shortand long-term consequences for their growth and development.Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine in a cohort of children with diarrhea the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp., molecularly; and other intestinal parasites, coproscopically, and to assess the association between Cryptosporidium and patient characteristics. As well as to evaluate the usefulness of molecular assay in detection of cryptosporidiosis in diarrheic children. Subjects and Methods: Fecal specimens were collected from 102 diarrheic Egyptian children, aged 12 years and under. All fecal specimens were examined coproscopically by wet mount prior to and after concentration, as well as permanent staining with modified acid-fast (MAF) for detection of intestinal parasites. Molecular assay using nested PCR (nPCR) was performed for detection of Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (cowp) gene. The association of patient demographics and clinical data with detection of Cryptosporidium spp. was determined. Results: Cryptosporidium copro-DNA was detected in 12 (11.8%) cases, for 5 (4.9%) of which oocysts were detected by MAF coproscopy; 9 cases of E. histolytica complex and 7 cases of G. intestinalis were detected by coproscopy. Other than the measure of head circumference, none of the patient characteristics had a significant association (P=0.027) with the detection of Cryptosporidium. Conclusion: There is a clear predominance of intestinal protozoa in diarrheic children, and Cryptosporidium spp. was the major enteric pathogen. Molecular assay should be included for the routine laboratory diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis.

Background and objective: Intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis is caused by the protozoan parasite Entamoeba (E.) histolytica, it is of considerable morbidity and mortality in developing countries. E.histoltica complex species includes E.histolytica, E. moshkovskii and E. dispar are morphologically indistinctable. The current study goal was to use molecular assays to detect the true prevalence of E. histolytica  complex species among a cohort of Egyptians. Methods:  A single stool specimen was collected from 133 patients, examined coproscopically before and after concentration. DNA was extracted from microscopically positive stool specimens for E. histolytica complex species were molecularly idenitified using multiplex PCR. Results: The  coroscopic prevalence of intestinal parasites was 51.1% (68/133) of them 30 cases had E.histolytica complex (22.6%; 30/133). Among coproscopically positive samples, E. dispar was the most common parasite (63.3%;  19/30),  followed by  E.  histolytica  (23.4%;  7/30) and E. moshkovskii  (13.3%;  4/30). There was statistical significance association between sociodemographic characteristics and Entamoeba species in asymptomatic individuals, while in the symptomatic individual, only age groups were stastically significant. Conclusion: E.dispar is the predominant Entamoeba species among studied individuals. There is a need for molecular diagnosis of Entamoeba to determine the true prevalence of E. histolytica and avoid overmedication.

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