A comparative study on enteric parasitic infections in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed children in Egypt

Diarrheal diseases are widespread all over the world, not only threaten human health but also greatly affect society and economy. Immune status may affect parasitic infections and the ability to combat such diseases. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of parasitic infections in immunosuppressed pediatric patients in comparison to immunocompetent ones with gastroenteritis. A total of 189 stool samples were collected from 100 immunocompetent diarrheic children at Cairo University Children's Hospitals and 89 children with cancer and diarrhea at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University. All cases were subjected to history taking and clinical examination. Stool samples were examined microscopically and by ELISA for Entamoeba histolytica , Giardia lamblia , and Cryptosporidium oocyts. Frequency and duration of both diarrhea and vomiting were significantly higher in immunosuppressed children ( P