Identification and laboratory diagnosis of typical and atypical oocyst of Cryptosporidium

Abstract EN

Cryptosporidiosis is usually diagnosed by recognition of oocyst in faecal smears stained by Ziehl-Neelsen, Safranin-methylene-blue, auramine-carbolfuchsine, Succurose-phenol methods.

The atypical oocyst is very fragile and quickly collapses when suspended in solution of high osmotic pressure or in lipid solvent.

They are not easily be stained by methods used to stain typical oocysts, but their appearance in sucrose-phenol is characteristic their stability in this solution, though much less than that of typical oocysts is sufficient for them to be recognized and for cases to be diagnosed by microscopy.

General findings in patients who excreted atypical oocysts were no different from those who excreted typical oocysts.