Enhancing surveillance of cryptosporidiosis: test all faecal specimens from children.

Journal article

The heightened risk of waterborne cryptosporidiosis, associated with heavy rainfall in autumn 2000, prompted us to survey laboratory practice in the South East Region of England in testing faecal specimens for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts and reporting to the Public Health Laboratory Service Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (PHLS CDSC). Varied practices were found. Ideally, all faecal specimens should be tested, but where laboratories are unable to do so, screening all faecal specimens from children age 15 years or younger would improve surveillance and could probably be accomplished with minimal additional resources.

Authors: Crook, P; Mayon-White, R; Reacher, M

• Journal: Communicable disease and public health / PHLS
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 112-113
• Publication date: 2002-06-01
• ISSN: 1462-1843
• Language: English
• Keywords: Great Britain; Mass Screening; Humans; Animals; Feces; Child; Cryptosporidiosis; Child, Preschool; Laboratory Techniques and Procedures; Adolescent; Population Surveillance; Disease Notification; Cryptosporidium; Infant; Disease Outbreaks