Comparative evaluation of conventional staining method and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kits for the detection of bovine cryptosporidiosis

Abstract

Out of 428 faecal 178 (41.59%) animals were found positive for Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in the bovine faeces in modified Ziehl-Neelsen (mZN) staining and/ or commercial plate and dipstick- enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits (Cypress diagnostics, Langdorp, Belgium) with statistically non-significant difference in the occurrence rate in cattle and buffalo calves. Seasonal prevalence difference was statistically significant in cattle calves while non-significant in buffalo calves, respectively. The highest overall prevalence was recorded during rainy season (45.15%) and almost same per cent during winter and summer. Prevalence of 67.26, 37.11, 30 and 17.65% was recorded in calves aged below 1 month, 1-3 months, 4-8 months and 9-12 months, respectively (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in the age group prevalence between cattle and buffalo calves. Both sexes of bovines are equally susceptible to the cryptosporidiosis (p>0.05). The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis was 59.54 and 29.41% for diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic samples, respectively (p>0.05). Both diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic groups of calves aged between 1-30 days were equally susceptible to the infection of Cryptosporidium spp. Almost same per cent prevalence of the infection was observed in dairy calves reared in organized (40.76%) and unorganized farms (42.21%) and the difference was non-significant in both cattle and buffalo calves. Highest prevalence of cryptosporidiosis was found in HF cross calves. The tests failed to detect the oocysts in infected soil samples. There was highly significant difference in the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis estimated by plate/ dipstick-ELISA and mZN staining with highest sensitivity and specificity in plate-ELISA.