en انگل شناسی Parasitology تحقيقي Original Paper <strong>Background and objectives:</strong> <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. is a major cause of gastrointestinal illness in humans. There are no data available on geospatial distribution of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. in the Mazandaran Province, Iran. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the spatial patterns and demographic factors associated with <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. infection in the Mazandaran Province, North of Iran.<br> <strong>Methods:</strong> Fecal specimens were collected from diarrheic individuals (n=215) who were referred to health centers in the Mazandaran Province during 2014-2015. The specimens were examined for presence of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. oocysts by Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining.<br> <strong>Results:</strong>&nbsp; Cities of Sari, Neka, Noshahr and Behshahr were identified as disease hotspots. The prevalence of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> infection was significantly higher in subjects under 10 years of age as well as those living in low-altitude areas and rural areas without access to standard water sources.<br> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Our findings and the GIS-derived data could be used to facilitate cryptosporidiosis surveillance and monitoring of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. distribution in the study area. Cryptosporidium spp., prevalence, diarrhea, Mazandaran, Iran 40 44 http://mlj.goums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-186-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Masoud Soosaraei masoudsoosaraie@gmail.com 100319475328460018682 100319475328460018682 No Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari,Iran Ahmad Daryani daryaanii1@yahoo.com 100319475328460018683 100319475328460018683 Yes Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari,Iran Mehdi Sharif msharifmathdi@yahoo.com 100319475328460018684 100319475328460018684 No Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari,Iran Shabeddin Sarvi shahabe.saarvi@yahoo.com 100319475328460018685 100319475328460018685 No Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari,Iran Hajar Ziaei Hezarjaribi ziaei2000@yahoo.com 100319475328460018686 100319475328460018686 No Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari,Iran Mahdi Fakhar mahdif53@yahoo.com 100319475328460018687 100319475328460018687 No Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari,Iran