Abstract

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This research was conducted to determine the prevalence of rotavirus and Cryptosporidium parvum co-infection among children with acute gastroenteritis in Zaria, Nigeria. A total of 340 diarrhoeic stool samples and 32 age matched control of children aged 0-60 months were screened for the presence of C. Parvum and rotavirus antigen using ELISA. Out of 340 diarrhoeic samples screened, 11(3.0%) samples were positive for both C. Parvum and rotavirus antigens (co-infection) and 329 (96.76%) were negative for the coinfection. Rotavirus was exclusively positive in 73(20%) samples while C. Parvum was exclusively positive ein 28(8%) samples. Total of 260(70%) samples were negative for the two pathogens. Of (3%) co-infection detected, 8(4%) were among 199 males and 3(1.7%) were among 173 females children studied. Age of the patients (p=0.028), source of drinking water (p=0.036), not exclusive breast feeding (p=0.014), weaning at early infancy (p=0.010) were some of the risk factors associated with the co-infection.

Keywords: Prevalence, Rotavirus, Cryptosporidium parvum, Children, Gastroenteritis, Zaria