ملخص البحث :

Cryptosporidiosis is a common cause of diarrhea in children. Morbidity rates are higher in underdeveloped nations, where it is more common. The risk factors for cryptosporidiosis in children with diarrhoea were studied in a case control study .The children in Al-Najaf city, who attend two hospitals were the sample of the this study . There were 89 patients under the age of three in the sample . The wet mounts, concentration approach was used to diagnose all stool samples that were submitted for testing .In order to find Cryptosporidium oocysts in stool samples, researchers used the Modified Ziehel-Neelsen staining technique. The control group included 61 children who seemed healthy and were the same age as the experimental group .The statistical analysis of data revealed that the P- value of age of children was (p=0.002), the P- value of the presence of animals in the environment was (p=0.032), the age of the mother (p=0.005), and the feeding patterns (p=0.021) had all of these factors been significant and should be considered a risk factors for Cryptosporidiosis. These data show that children in Al-Najaf city are at risk for Cryptosporidiosis. The senior members of the family may be at risk of infection due to the presence of these children. We urge that health authorities become awareness of Cryptosporidium as a source of diarrhoea in children and that a protocol for diagnosing this parasite be included in all labs' normal diagnostic testing for diarrhoeal stool specimens.