Cryptosporidium sp. infection in the broiler chickens and turkeys on farms in north central Algeria

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in broiler chickens and turkeys and the factors that can influence its development, the precision of the most frequent sites of Cryptosporidium, and the severity of lesions associated with the disease. From October 2019 to September 2020, the prevalence of Cryptosporidia infection was determined on 22 farms located in north central Algeria. For each farm, weekly visits were conducted during the study period and information on the type of farming and health status was collected. At these farms, 98 chickens and 22 turkeys were examined and clinical lesions recorded. Analyses of faeces, tissue samples and scrapings made from the intestine, bursa of Fabricius, trachea, cloaca and proventriculus revealed a prevalence of 55% at chicken farms. The age of chickens was found to be a significant factor, with a high frequency of the disease observed in chickens aged between 10 to 50 days with a maximum between 31 and 40 days (84.62%). The parasite was not detected in chickens younger than 7 days. The most common site of Cryptosporidium sp. was the bursa (24.2%), followed by the trachea (21.5%), cloaca (18.9%), intestine (16.3%), and proventriculus (6.6%). In turkeys, the overall prevalence was 41%. The bursa was the most infected organ (23.81%), followed by the cloaca (15.79%) and intestine (9%). For both avian species, data confirmed the impact of season, strain (genetic potential), and rearing conditions on the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. To conclude, our results showed that Cryptosporidium was very common on these farms, and was related mainly to climatic conditions and poor management, particularly hygienic measures.