Molecular Typing of Cryptosporidium in Cattle in Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

Abstract

Cryptosporidium is an enteric pathogen with worldwide distribution in humans and animals with cattle as their reservoirs. Molecular tools have been very useful in determining the epidemiology of this zoonotic pathogen of public health importance. Despite the importance of this pathogen to humans and animals, there is limited published information on the risk factors of its epidemiology in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. Positive faecal samples of 400 cattle in 46 farms located in 6 area councils of the FCT that were earlier screened for Cryptosporidium on light microscopy were genotyped by nested PCR using primers that targeted 18S ssUrRNA gene and followed by RFLP. The PCR-RFLP products were further sub genotyped by nested PCR and GP 60 KDa gene amplification. The nucleotides of the amplicons were subsequently sequenced. The overall PCR detection rate was 5.5%. Analysis of the 18S rRNA gene of the PCR-RFLP fragments revealed Cryptosporidium ryanae (18.3%), C. andersoni (8.5%) and C. parvum (4.2%). Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the GP 60KDa gene of all the C. parvum detected showed all to be 100% subtype family IIa and 100% sub genotype IIaA18G3R1. In conclusion, this study has established the presence of Cryptosporidium in cattle in the FCT. The detection of the zoonotic C. parvum, its subtype IIa and its allele IIaA18G3R1 is an indication of source of zoonotic transmission of the parasite in the FCT, Nigeria.