European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

FREQUENCY OF INTESTINAL PARASITES EMPHASIS ON CRYPTO SPORRIDIUM SPP. AMONG SUDANESE PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CARE CENTER AT SHANDI HOSPITAL SUDAN

Ibtesam A Mohammed and Dr. Awad Alla H. O. Kashif*

ABSTRACT

Background: Along with intestinal parasites Coccidian parasites recently a health problem in immune compromised patients and it’s moreover may highly infect women during pregnancy condition showed decrease in immunity. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of intestinal parasites and Cryptosporidium spp infections in Sudanese pregnant women attending antenatal care center at Shandi Hospital. Methods: Cryptosporidium spp and other intestinal parasites were assessed in 160 women divided into two groups; 80 pregnant and 80 non pregnant at child bearing age, stool sample of each participant was examined by two methods; wet preparation and modified Ziehl – Nielsen stain. Results: Among the 80 pregnant women Cryptosporidium spp detected in 3.8% (n=3) while none was detected in control group other intestinal parasites detected in pregnant women were Entamoeba histolytica cyst 7.5% (n=6), Entamoeba coli cyst 5% (n=4), Giardia lamblia cyst 3.8% (n=3) and Entamoeba histolytica trophozoite 1.3% (n=1). Whereas in control group Entamoeba histolytica cyst and Entamoeba coli cyst were detected in 2.5% (n=2) for each and Giardia lamblia cyst identified in 5% (n=4). Conclusions: The findings of present study showed low prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp infections among pregnant women enrolled in this study (3.8%), and there was no significance difference between prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp in pregnant women and non-pregnant women and the infection rate of intestinal parasites relatively high in pregnant women.

Keywords: Cryptosporidium spp, Sudanese pregnant women, modified Z.N stain.