sources of the oocysts of C. hominis are variable, although the most common source is believed to be fecally contamina ted drinking water. It is noteworthy lo remember that 00cysts in ice remain viable once it thaws. Accidental ingestion of pool or lake water contaminated with oocysts can also lead to infection. High-risk exposure has also been associated to direct contact with feces positive for cryptosporidium hominis while caring for infected patients. This includes bathing, changing of diapers, changing of soiled bed linens or simple emptying of bedpans in caregiving institutions. Infected food handlers with poor personal hygiene can accidentally transfer the oocysts to food and beverages. Raw fruits and vegetables may, likewise., be contaminated. Contact with infected calves in veterinary hospitals, in dairy farms or zoos have also been implicated as sources of human infection. Diagnosis is established witlt the recovery of the oocysts from the stools. Oocysts are acid-fast and are identified best from stained stool samples with the modified acid-fast stain known as the Kinyoun's techii. ique. Before staining, stools may be concentrated using Formalin Ether Concentration Technique (FECT) or with Sheather's flotation. Since no chemotherapeutic agent bas been found to be safe and high1y effective for this pa.-asite, the objective of treatment is to reduce the frequency of diarrhea. Rehydration is highly recommend ed. To control and prevent infection, people mustbe strongly advised on personal hygiene and environmental sanitatio n. Sources of drinking water must be properly protected. Contact with infected individuals and animals must be avoided. Fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw must be properly and thoroughly washed. Cyclospora cayatensis This is another coccidian that has been isolated from patients with chronic and intermittent watery diarrhea. The diarrhea together with lack of appetite, loss of weight and bloating may last for weeks. However, the disease is generally self-limiting among patients who are immuno-competent. Like in cryptosporidiosis, prolonged diarrhea has been observed if the patients are· immuno-compromised like the very young and the very old. Infection bas been associated with consumption of contaminated food and water. Like the Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora oocysts are also acid fast in nature and therefore can be stained with Kinyoun's technique. When viewed under an UV microscope, the oocysts emit a bluish fluorescence. Blastocysts hominis This is another protozoan parasite whose taxonomic classification is uncertain. It is usual]y mistaken for an amoeba and was formerly classified with the fungi. Association of this parasite with gastrointestinal pathology is still controversial, however, if this parasite is present in large numbers, a variety of intestinal disorders was observed, especially among children and the immu. no-cornpromised. These include abdominal cramps, mild. to moderate diarrhea, flatulen. ce, nausea, and vomitting. The life cycle and the modes of transmission are still unknown, although it is believed that transmission occurs through the fe. cal-oral route. Occurrence of blastocystosis · 3n 