Cryptosporidium species from human immunodeficiency-infected patients with chronic diarrhea in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Purpose: Cryptosporidium is an opportunistic parasite that manifests as chronic and severe diarrhea in the immune-compromised subject. We investigated the species of Cryptosporidium to understand the epidemiology, mode of transmission, response to treatment, and prevention.

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism of the 18 S rRNA gene and sequencing were performed on 41 Cryptosporidium-positive stools from 36 patients with HIV AIDS, which comprised 36 pretreatment stools and 5 stools after treatment with Paromomycin.

Results: C. hominis, C. meleagridis, C. felis, and C. parvum were detected; 28 of 36 (77.7%) patients were infected with C. hominis and two (5.5%) patients with multiple species of Cryptosporidium. Treatment with Paromomycin resulted in different outcomes, perhaps because patients harbored other intestinal parasitic infections.

Conclusions: Multiple infection with various Cryptosporidium species in the presence of other intestinal parasites occurs in patients with HIV AIDS suffering from chronic diarrhea who are severely immune-compromised. Common transmission of Cryptosporidium is anthroponotic.