In the present study we aimed to determine (i) frequency of Cryptosporidium species among patients with
renal transplantation (RT) and human immunodeficiency virus (
HIV) infection and (ii) relationship of the nature, severity, and duration of symptoms with different species and load of Cryptosporidium. Stool samples from 70 (42 RT and 28 HIV) and 140 immunocompromised patients with and without
cryptosporidiosis by modified Kinyoun's staining were subjected to qPCR-melting curve analysis for identification of parasite species. qPCR detected one microscopically negative sample to be positive for
cryptosporidiosis. C. hominis, C. parvum, and
mixed infection were detected in 50/71 (70.4%), 19/71 (26.8%), and 2/71 (2.8%) patients, respectively. Patients with
cryptosporidiosis had higher stool frequency (median, IQR: 4, 3-6/d versus 3, 2-4/d; P = 0.017) and watery stool (52/71 [73%] versus 64/139 [46%]; P = 0.003). Parasite load (median, IQR: Log10 6.37 (5.65-7.12), Log10 5.81 (4.26-6.65); P = 0.046) and
nausea/
vomiting (29/50 [58%] versus 5/19 [26%]; P = 0.032) were more frequent with C. hominis than with C. parvum
infection. Thus, Cryptosporidium spp. (mainly C. hominis) is a common cause of diarrhoea in RT and HIV patients.