Aim: To investigate the infection of Cyclospore cayetanensis in Anhui Province.
Methods: Identification of Cyclospore cayetanensis was made microscopically by finding the oocysts of Cyclospore cayetanensis in fecal smears taken from the infants, pupils and adults with obstinate diarrhea, and immunocompromised individuals by using a auramine-phenol stain and modified acid-fast stain. Cellular immune function was detected with biotin-streptavidin (BSA), and the specific antibody against Cyclospore cayetanensis was detected with method of ELISA.
Results: (1) The positive rates of Cyclospore cayetanensis infection in infants, pupils, infants and adults with obstinate diarrhea and with immunocompromised individuals were significantly different (P<0.01), with the rates of 0 %, 0.50 % (1/200), 5.62 % (10/178), and 9.38 % (3/32) respectively. (2) The infection rates of males and females were 2.61 % (10/383) and 1.44 % (4/227) respectively, with no significant difference (P<0.05). (3) The positive rates of population with oocysts in urban and rural areas were 0.92 % (3/325) and 3.86 % (11/285) respectively. (4) The positive rates of CD(3)(+), CD(4)(+), CD(8)(+) and the ratio of CD(4)(+)/CD(8)(+) of individuals with and without oocysts were significantly different (P<0.05, P<0.01), and their values were (64.28+/-6.55) %, (43.55+/-5.80) %, (28.23+/-4.32) %, 1.52+/-0.32 and (58.97+/-5.23) %, (39.26+/-4.93) %, (30.54+/-5.17) %,1.26+/-0.21, respectively. (5) Specific IgG, IgM and IgG+IgM in serum of the patients with oocyst were significantly different (P<0.01) with the positive rates of 63.41 % (9/14), 17.07 % (1/14) and 19.51 % (4/14) respectively.
Conclusion: Cyclospore cayetanensis infection is present in Anhui, China and it was confirmed to be a new pathogen associated with children diarrhea, adults obstinate diarrhea and diarrhea in immunocompromised individuals. Among all the infected individuals, adult obstinate diarrhea patients and immunocompromised individuals are common. Feces examination of oocysts and serological examination of the specific antibody will be of much help in the diagnosis of Cyclospore cayetanensis infection.