A 48-year-old male, with underlying immunocompramisis due to Human Immuno Defeciency infection, presented with the complaints of severe loose stool for 1 week. On examination, the patient was malnourished and afebrile with clinical evidence of some dehydration with no response to empirical anti bacterial and anti parasitic drugs. On history, the patient was diagnosed to suffer from HIV infection a decade back and was on irregular medication (Anti retroviral drugs). Stool for bacterial culture and sensitivity does not show any growth of bacterial pathogen. Stool for ova and cyst examination with routine wet mount and iodine mount showed round beads suggestive of artifacts. Kinyoun cold acid fast staining method of staining by using 1 % sulfuric acid as a decoloriser showed the presence of acid-fast oocyst in the chemically fixed fecal smears. The patient was started on Azithromycin and Nitazoxanide as per cdc guidelines , following which the patient recovered from diarrhea and discharged

Keywords: Infective Diarrhea , Cryptosporidium diarrhea , Underlying immunocompramisis

1. Dillingham RA, Lima AA, Guerrant RL. Cryptosporidiosis: epidemiology and impact. Microbes Infect. 2002;4(10):1059–66.
2. Tzipori S, Widmer G. A hundred-year retrospective on cryptosporidiosis. Trends Parasitol. 2008;24(4):184–9. 
3. Tzipori S.  Cryptosporidiosis: current trends and challenges. Microbes Infect.2002;4(10):1045.
4. Khalil IA, Troeger C, Rao PC, Blacker BF, Brown A, Brewer TG, et al. Morbidity, mortality, and long-term consequences associated with diarrhea from Cryptosporidium infection in children younger than 5 years: a metaanalyses study. Lancet Glob Health. 2018;6(7):e758-68. 
5. Fayer R, Ungar BL. Cryptosporidium spp. and cryptosporidiosis. Microbiol Rev. 1986;50(4):458–83. 

Dr N.Ashok Viswanath  M.B.B.S., M.D., D.N.B., PG Dip Infectious Diseases

Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Panimalar Medical College Hospital & Research Institute, Varadhrajapuram, Poonamallee Chennai – 600123