Cryptosporidiosis in malnourished children at Kenyatta National Hospital
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis in malnourished children at the
Paediatric Emergency Ward (PEW) of Kenyatta National
Hospital was studied. This was done over a three months
period, September to December 1989. Two hundred and
eighty five patients were studied, 24 of whom were HIV
positive. Their age range was 14 days - 60 months,
with a mean range of 17 months. The male to female
ratio was 1:1.1.
Among the 256 patients negative for HIV, 46 had
Cryptosporidium oocyts in stool giving a prevalence of
18%. These were 22 males and 24 females giving a
M:F ratio of 1:1.1. Their age range was 8 to 37 months
with a mean age of 18.2 months and a median of l6 months.
The highest prevalence occurred in patients with
marasmic-kwashiork9r (21.7%) followed by underweight,
kwashiorkor and marasmus with 20.3%, 18.4% and·10.5%
respectively.
Ninety nine (38.7%) of the 256 patients had
diarrhoea. Eighteen (18%) of the ninety nine were positive
for Cryptosporidium as were 28 (18%) of the 157 without
diarrhoea.
2
Fever (Temp. > 37.5°C) was present in 93 out of
the 256 forming 36.7%. Among these with fever, 17.2%
were Cryptosporidial positive compared to 18.4% Cryptosporidial
positive with no fever.
Out of 256 patients, 30 had measles, 90% of which
occurred within 6 weeks prior to the study. Nine of
these were Cryptosporidial positive giving a prevalence
of 30% compared to 16.4% in the non-measles cases.
HIV results were available for 285 patients. Of
e
these, 24 were HIV positive giving a prevalence of
8.4% among the malnourished children. Two (8.3%) out
of 24 HIV positive patients had Cryptosporidium oocyts
in stool.
The report of this study shows the Cryptosporidium
is highly prevalent in Kenyan malnourished children.
We therefore recommend routine laboratory examination
for Cryptosporidium in stool specimens of malnourished
children.
Citation
Degree of Master of Medicine in paediatricsPublisher
University of Nairobi School of Medicine
Description
A thesis submitted in part fulfillment for
the Degree of Master of Medicine in
paediatrics at the University of Nairobi