The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in lambs and goat kids in Kurdistan, Iran

Mohammad Khezri,Orkideh Khezri

doi:10.14202/vetworld.2013.974-977

Abstract

Aim: Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite that causes diarrhea, which is typically a short-lasting benign infection. The aim of the present study was to determinate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in lambs and goat kids in Kurdistan district, Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of 1200 fecal samples were obtained from diarrheic and non-diarrheic lambs and goat kids aged 1 to 6 months from 48 villages in the Kurdistan province, west of Iran. The samples were tested for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts using modified Ziehl–Neelsen staining method. Results: Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were present in 10.24% of lambs and in 18.86% of goat kids. Both diarrhea and Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were observed in 64.37% (56/87) of lambs and in 30.51% (18/59) of goat kids. Cryptosporidium spp. infection rates were significantly higher in diarrheic than in non-diarrheic groups. The highest rate of infection was found in an animal aged one month. Furthermore, the prevalence of the infection according to age groups and consistency of feces was found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: The presence of Cryptosporidium spp. in lambs and goat kids in Kurdistan indicates that this protozoan parasite should also be considered in the etiology of lambs and goat kids exhibiting diarrhea.

Highlights

Cryptosporidium is an apicomplexan intestinal protozoan, which infects the gastrointestinal tract of domestic animals and humans [1]
Both diarrhea and Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were observed in 64.37% (56/87) of lambs and in 30.51% (18/59) of goat kids
The presence of Cryptosporidium spp. in lambs and goat kids in Kurdistan indicates that this protozoan parasite should be considered in the etiology of lambs and goat kids exhibiting diarrhea

Summary

Introduction

Cryptosporidium is an apicomplexan intestinal protozoan, which infects the gastrointestinal tract of domestic animals and humans [1]. Most of the data on the prevalence of cryptosporidial infection in farm animals is related to cattle. There is very less information on the occurrence of cryptosporidiosis in sheep and goats [4]. Cryptosporidiosis was first described in lambs with diarrhea in Australia, but no causative role could be ascribed to the organism because of the coincidental infections with pathogenic bacteria. Its role as a primary etiological agent of diarrhea in lambs was confirmed in the early 1980s in the studies on natural and experimental infections [5, 6]. Infection with Cryptosporidium spp. is very important for the economy because of the Copyright: The authors.

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