Evaluation of new rapid commercial enzyme immunoassay for detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts in untreated stool specimens.

Sixty-six stool specimens were evaluated by the ProSpecTR Cryptosporidium rapid enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (Alexon, Sunnyvale, Calif.). Approximately 2 g of untreated stool suspended in buffer was filtered through membranes labelled with anti-Cryptosporidium-specific antigen antibody. Anti-Cryptosporidium-specific antigen antibody was labelled with biotin, horseradish peroxidase conjugated to streptavidin, and tetramethylbenzidine, and each labelled antibody was added in sequence to the membranes. Each membrane had a positive control and test area. EIA results were compared with those of the modified acid-fast procedure. Twenty-three specimens were positive by the initial acid-fast procedure and the EIA. Forty-two specimens were negative by the initial acid-fast test and the EIA. One specimen was negative by the initial acid-fast test and positive by the EIA (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 98.5%). This technique is easy to use by comparison with the cumbersome, labor-intensive, and more subjective microscopic methods currently available, and its sensitivity equals that of current microscopic methods.