Title
Cryptosporidiosis in Houston, Texas: A report of 95 cases
Date Issued
01 March 1997
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Hashmey R.
Smith N.H.
Cron S.
Graviss E.A.
Chappell C.L.
Department of Medicine, School of Public Health
Publisher(s)
Wolters Kluwer Health
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is an important cause of diarrhea. We identified 95 patients with cryptosporidiosis over a 6-year period in our county hospital system, including 9 children and 86 adults infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Risk factors included male-to-male sexual practices and Hispanic race. Diarrhea, weight loss, and gastrointestinal complaints were the most common symptoms at presentation. Among the HIV- infected adults, 20 (23%) developed biliary tract disease. Biliary involvement was associated with low CD4 counts. Treatment with paromomycin and antimotility agents was effective in reducing diarrheal symptoms in 54 of 70 (77%) patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), although there was a high rate of relapse. Paromomycin did not prevent the development of biliary disease. Biliary disease responded to cholecystectomy or sphincterotomy with stent placement. Though often a cause of morbidity, cryptosporidiosis was only rarely the cause of death, even among patients with HIV. Cryptosporidiosis continues to be an important medical problem even in developed countries. Current methods of prevention and treatment are suboptimal.
Start page
118
End page
139
Volume
76
Issue
2
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Epidemiología Parasitología
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-0030915544
PubMed ID
Source
Medicine
ISSN of the container
00257974
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus