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An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in a hospital day-care centre

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

J. A. G. Melo Cristino ,
M. Isabel ,
P. Carvalho  and
Maria José Salgado
J. A. G. Melo Cristino
Affiliation:
Laboratétio de Bacteriologia, Hospital de Santa Maria, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1600 Lisboa, Portugal.
M. Isabel
Affiliation:
Laboratétio de Bacteriologia, Hospital de Santa Maria, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1600 Lisboa, Portugal.
P. Carvalho
Affiliation:
Laboratétio de Bacteriologia, Hospital de Santa Maria, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1600 Lisboa, Portugal.
Maria José Salgado
Affiliation:
Laboratétio de Bacteriologia, Hospital de Santa Maria, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1600 Lisboa, Portugal.
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Summary

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The investigation of an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in a hospital day-care centre is reported. Twenty-eight (27%) children and one member of the staff were infected. Most of the cases were symptomatic and the major presenting symptom was watery diarrhoea. Shedding of oocysts continued for a mean of 12 days after diarrhoea had subsided and most of the cases were still excreting oocysts when the first follow-up sample was examined. Intermittent shedding or a carrier state were not seen in any of the cases. Giardia intestinalis cysts were detected in 19 children, 7 of whom showing mixed infection with Cryptosporidium sp., but this association was not statistically significant. All cases recovered without specific therapy. No definite proof could be found to demonstrate the source of the outbreak or the route of transmission but some observations suggesting person-to-person transmission are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 101 , Issue 2 , October 1988 , pp. 355 - 359
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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