Molecular confirmation of Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora species in children with acute diarrhoea in Quindio region, Colombia.

Background: There are no reports with molecular confirmation of Cryptosporidium spp. and Cyclospora spp. in children consulting the emergency service due to diarrhoea in Colombia.

Methods: A descriptive study was performed on 137 children who visited the Hospital San Juan de Dios Emergency Service in Armenia between April 1 and 31, 2022. Questionnaires and sampling were performed to identify parasites in the faecal samples. Fresh preparations were prepared with 1% iodine, and a modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain was used to identify pathogenic intestinal protozoa (Cryptosporidium spp. and Cyclospora spp.). PCR and sequencing of positive samples were performed to confirm infection.

Results: The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection in children was 19,7%, and that of Cyclospora spp. was 10,9%. 59,2% of the children with cryptosporidiosis and 66,6% of the children with cyclosporiasis were hospitalized. PCR for Cryptosporidium spp. was positive in six of 28 (21%) samples and for Cyclospora in 11 of 15 (73%) samples. Cyclospora spp. SSU rRNA DNA sequences clustered 10 samples nearest to lineage A, two with lineage B, and one with lineage C.

Conclusions: Cryptosporidiosis and cyclosporiasis are common in children with acute diarrhoea when consulting emergency services, and their search should be performed systematically.