Modified Ziehl-Neelsen Method Research Articles

The Relationship Between the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Herders on Hygienic Milking and The Contamination Risk of Milk with Cryptosporidium Oocyst in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Dairy products are consumed by millions on daily basis worldwide and as such the potential for foodborne illness is a major concern. This study investigated the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocyst in cow bulk milk and the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of herders towards hygienic milking in selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 120 milk samples were collected for this study. Detection of Cryptosporidium oocyst in milk samples was carried out by concentration technique using Magnesium Sulphate (MgSO4) solution and stained with Modified Ziehl Neelsen method. Sixty (60) structured questionnaires were administered to herders in the study area to identify possible risk factors and assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices toward hygienic milking. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in cow bulk milk was 11.7% (14/120). Questionnaires administered showed that the majority of the respondents had poor knowledge (88.3%), negative attitudes (85.0%) and adopted unsatisfactory practices (95.0%) to hygienic milking. The occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in cow bulk milk from this study suggests that the dairy cattle in these LGAs have a high potential for transmitting Cryptosporidium to humans. Hence the findings of this study are of great public health significance as these group of animals sampled produce milk for consumption in both urban and rural communities. Therefore, inhabitants of these LGAs should be informed and educated on the need to improve sanitary measures while milking these animals and the need for adequate pasteurization of milk before consumption.

Effect of micronutrient deficiency on protozoal infection in stunting toddler

<p class="pf0"><strong><em>Background: </em></strong><em>Stunting is a developmental disorder caused by chronic inadequate nutritional intake in toddlers, leading to deficiencies in various nutrients, including iron and zinc. This can weaken toddlers' immunity, making them more vulnerable to infectious diseases, such as intestinal protozoa. An infected digestive tract can interfere with absorbing nutrients and reduce appetite, causing the infection to persist and become chronic. Chronic infection triggers the formation of pro-inflammatory cytokines that affect bone growth, hindering growth and causing stunting.</em><em></em></p><p class="pf0"><strong><em>Objectives: </em></strong><em>This study confidently investigates the correlation between iron and zinc micronutrient intake and intestinal protozoan infection in stunting toddlers in Jember District.</em><em></em></p><p class="pf0"><strong><em>Methods: </em></strong><em>The research is observational and cross-sectional, with 568 stunting toddlers aged 0-59 months in Jember District, East Java as study subjects. Iron and zinc intake were collected through 2x24-hour food-recall questionnaire interview and processed using the Nutrisurvey software. Protozoan infection status in toddler feces samples was identified using direct smear and modified Ziehl-Neelsen methods. The data analysis method chosen was the Spearman correlation test.</em></p><p class="pf0"><strong><em>Results: </em></strong><em>The study found that stunted toddlers in Jember District had mostly deficient micronutrient intake. The average iron intake is 2.56±3.06 mg and the average zinc intake is 1.8±1.47 mg. Protozoan infection was found in this study has a prevalence of 15.7%, with identified species including Entamoeba histolytica (3.3%), Giardia lamblia (2.6%), Cryptosporidium parvum (3.2%), Blastocystis hominis (5.3%), and mixed infections (1.2%). The statistical analysis confirms that there is no significant correlation between the intake of micronutrients iron (p=0.91;r=0.005) and zinc (p=0.76;r=0.013) and intestinal protozoan infection in stunting toddlers in Jember District.</em></p><p class="pf0"><strong><em>Conclusions: </em></strong><em>Based on the data, protozoan infection may be caused by multiple factors, such as parenting practices and family socioeconomics. However, improving nutrition by education and giving additional supplementation are crucial to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition in toddlers.</em><em></em></p>

Microscopic, Molecular and Antigen Detection and Isolation of Cryptosporidium parvumParasites in Diarrheal Disease of Calves in Iran.

Cryptosporidiosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Cryptosporidium in vertebrates. In livestock, especially ruminants, infants develop diarrheal syndromes. The infection is common worldwide , including Iran, where it is reported in several species. Morphological diagnosis of Cryptosporidium species is associated with many limitations and has no taxonomic value on its own, so the use of molecular methods can overcome these limitations to some extent. The present aims at microscopic, molecular and antigen detection and isolation ofCryptosporidiumparvum parasites. Firstly, 300 samples were collected from different parts of Iran. Subsequently oocysts from feces were purified by the method of Casemoreet al. using the flotation technique and stained by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen method (Henriksen method) and identified by diagnostic keys. ELISA test was also performed on the samples with results ranging from 1 to 4 positive. The results of our study show that, of the 300 cases tested for Cryptosporidium, 48 cases (16%) and 54 (18%) were positive in ELISA and PCR, respectively. Microscopic evaluation also mainly confirmed the ELISA results. These cases were collected in summer, autumn, and winter, with, more than 50% of the positive cases found among the samples collected in autumn. In addition, 54 positive cases were found by PCR test, which is 6 cases more than ELISA results. Finally, the results of PCR detection and ELISA were subjected to chi-square analysis, where no significant difference was found between the collected data (p=0.0587).

Detection of Cryptosporidium parvum in calf feces using microscopical, serological, and molecular methods

Cryptosporidiosis is a critical gastrointestinal disease in calves. This study examined 150 fecal samples of diarrheic calves collected from the eastern region of Saudi Arabia for detection of Cryptosporidium parvumusing the Modified Ziehl-Neelsen (MZN) method, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), and conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The performance of these methods was assessed using diagnostic accuracy tests. The present study identified C. parvum oocysts in fecal samples by modified Ziehl-Neelsen 40/150; 26.66%, ELIZA 60/150; 40%, and PCR 78/150; 52% methods, respectively. The microscopic method revealed higher specificity 65.27% than the ELIZA 51.38%, while the ELIZA showed higher sensitivity 32.05% than MZN method 19.23%. However, MZN and ELIZA methods were unsatisfactory diagnostic tools compared with the PCR as the area under the curve values in Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) analysis were less than 0.6. Furthermore, using the kappa analysis test revealed no agreement between MZN and ELISA methods compared with PCR at P<0.05.

IDENTIFICATION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SP. IN SUMATRAN ORANGUTAN AND BORNEAN ORANGUTAN AT NORTH SUMATERA WILDLIFE PARK

Cryptosporidium sp. is a zoonotic intestinal protozoa in orangutans which is transmitted through contaminated water (waterborne disease). This study aims to determine Cryptosporidium sp. which infects the sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and the bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) in North Sumatera Wildlife Park. The samples used were 3 orangutan fecal samples from different locations, two bornean orangutans in Medan Wildlife Park and one sumatran orangutan in Pematang Siantar Animal Park. Samples were examined using the floatation method and the modified Ziehl-Neelsen method. The results showed that from 3 samples of orangutan feces (sumatran and bornean orangutan), 2 positive tails from bornean orangutans were found containing Cryptosporidium oocysts, namely the C. parvum species. In this study, it can be concluded that the orangutans in Medan Wildlife Park, the bornean orangutan were infected with cryptosporidiosis.

Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites and Associated Risk Factors among Diarrheal Patients Attending Negelle Borena General Hospital: A Case-Control Study.

In tropical countries, intestinal protozoal parasitic infections are among the common infections causing significant morbidity and mortality. Thus, the present study was conducted to assess the status of intestinal protozoal parasitic infections among diarrheal patients attending Negelle Borena General Hospital and investigate the possible risk factors for the infection. A case-control study design was employed in the study. The intestinal protozoal parasites were detected using a wet-mount, stool concentration, and modified Ziehl-Neelsen methods. The crude and adjusted odd ratios were considered to identify the associated risk factors for intestinal protozoal parasitic infections among the study participants. The overall status of parasitic infection was 46.88% in cases and 27.08% in the control groups. The most prevalent protozoal infection was Giardia lamblia (9.38%) and followed by Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (6.25%) in the cases. The highest prevalence of the infection was detected in the age groups that varied from 6 to 10 years in cases (71%). The enteric G. lamblia and E. histolytica/dispar were found to be 33.3% and 9.1%, respectively, in the age groups of 6-10 years in cases. Based on sex, 56.50% and 27.30% of protozoal (parasitic) infections were revealed by females in the cases and control groups, respectively, indicating a significant variation (P < 0.05). The education level (illiteracy), absence of toilet usage, no hand washing after toilet and before eating as significant risk factors for patient's infection with G. lamblia, E. histolytica, and Cryptosporidium spp. (P < 0.05, AOR = 1-14). However, eating raw fruit and vegetables was also found as a major risk factor for E. histolytica (P < 0.05, AOR = 6.2) 40. Moreover, the residence of the patients was also indicated as a plus risk factors for the infection to be occurred by Cryptosporidium spp. in the study participants (P > 0.95, AOR = 0.2). The prevalence of intestinal protozoal parasitic infection showed variation based on age, sex, and educational background of the study participants. Therefore, awareness creating training should be provided to the Negelle area communities so as to minimize the parasitic infection.

Approaches to increase recovery of bacterial and fungal abortion agents in domestic ruminants.

Abortions in domestic ruminants cause significant economic losses to farmers. Determining the cause of an abortion is important for control efforts, but it can be challenging. All available diagnostic methods in the bacteriology laboratory should be employed in every case due to the many limiting factors (autolysis, lack of history, range of samples) that complicate the investigation process. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the recovery of diagnostically significant isolates from domestic ruminant abortion cases could be increased through the use of a combination of the existing aerobic culture andBrucellaselective method with methods that are commonly recommended in the literature reporting abortion investigations. These methods are examination of wet preparations and impression smears stained by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen method, anaerobic, microaerophilic,Leptospira, Mycoplasmaand fungal culture. Samples of placenta and aborted foetuses from 135 routine clinical abortion cases of cattle (n= 88), sheep (n= 25) and goats (n= 22) were analysed by the new combination of methods. In 46 cases, bacteria were identified as aetiological agents and in one case a fungus. Isolation ofBrucellaspecies increased to 7.4% over two years compared with the previous 10 years (7.3%), as well asCampylobacter jejuni(n= 2) andRhizopusspecies (n= 1).Salmonellaspecies (5.9%) andTrueperella pyogenes(4.4%) were also isolated more often. In conclusion, the approach was effective in removing test selection bias in the bacteriology laboratory. The importance of performing an in-depth study on the products of abortion by means of an extensive, combination of conventional culture methods was emphasised by increased isolation ofBrucella abortusand isolation ofC. jejuni. The combination of methods that yielded the most clinically relevant isolates was aerobic, microaerophilic,Brucellaand fungal cultures.

Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites in HIV/AIDS-Infected Patients Attending Clinics in Selected Areas of the Eastern Cape

Introduction: Intestinal parasites in HIV and AIDS patients increase the risk of gastroenteritis, adding to the complexity of the virus. According to the literature, their interactions are one of the factors leading to HIV replication and progression of AIDS in Africa. Chronic immunosuppression caused by HIV infection makes people vulnerable to parasitic infections, and this is associated with a CD4+ cell count of less than 100. The study describes the prevalence of intestinal parasites in patients attending HIV/AIDS clinics in certain areas of the Eastern Cape. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 600 patients from HIV/AIDS clinics in the Eastern Cape. Tambo Municipality and Amatole Municipality were the municipalities covered. These included the Ngangalizwe Community Clinic, Tsolo Gateway Clinic, Idutywa Health Centre, and Nqamakwe Health Centre. The stools of 600 participants were examined using direct wet saline/iodine embedding, formal ether concentration technique, and modified Ziehl–Neelsen methods. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 28.2 years. They were predominantly female (79.9%), mostly single (63.6%), and lived in rural (65.2%) and urban areas (34.8%). The prevalence of intestinal parasites was determined to be 30% (180/600) after screening 600 stool samples. The most frequently detected parasites were Ascaris lumbricoides (55.9%), Balantidium coli (15.1%), Entamoeba coli (11.3%), Diphyllobothrium latum (4.3%), Taenia species (3.8%), Schistosoma mansoni (1.6%), and Cryptosporidium spp. (1.6%). Males were affected more frequently (39.2%) than females (27.9%). The difference was statistically significant (p = 0.017). Among the identified intestinal parasites, A. lumbricoides, B. coli, and Taenia spp. were found at all four sites. Conclusion: This study has shed light on the high burden of intestinal parasites in HIV/AIDS patients in the Eastern Cape. Medication adherence, deworming, and sanitary hygiene practices are needed to enhance the control of infection in the affected communities and hence contribute to the control of the HIV pandemic.

Prevalence of susceptibility to Cryptosporidium spp. among dairy calves with different feeding regimens with an emphasis on the feeding of transition milk.

Background and Aim:Colostrum composition and importance for newborn organisms were repeatedly studied. However, the interest in transitional milk usefulness is weak and recommendations concerning transition milk intake are not developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether transition milk intake after colostrum consumption affects the chances of calf infection with Cryptosporidium spp.Materials and Methods:We collected data for Cryptosporidium spp. infection from calves (n=425) divided into three groups: The first group – supervised colostrum and transition milk intake; the second group – supervised colostrum and whole milk intake; and the third group – not supervised colostrum and whole milk intake. To detect oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. in feces, the flotation method was used, and slides were stained using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen method. Generalized linear mixed modeling was conducted to determine whether the explanatory variable – the management of colostrum and transition milk feeding with three categories (three research groups) – was related to the probability of calves incurring infection with Cryptosporidium spp.Results:In the first group, 26.1% of calves were positive for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts, in the second – 37.2%, and in the third – 44.1%. Statistical data analysis showed that calves who did not receive transition milk after colostrum consumption had increased chances of having Cryptosporidium spp. (by 1.90-2.47 times on average). The main results showed that the management of colostrum and transition milk feeding is related to Cryptosporidium spp. infection, indicating that both colostrum and transitional milk play a significant role in controlling pathogenic infections.Conclusion:The most effective management of colostrum and transition milk feeding against Cryptosporidium spp. infection is the timely intake of an adequate amount of colostrum followed by transitional milk consumption for at least 2 weeks before weaning from the dam.

Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Endoparasites among Under-Five Children in Debre Tabor Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Debre Tabor, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Many endoparasites are still considered neglected tropical illnesses. The term “endoparasites” refers to infections caused by both helminths and protozoa. In many places in Ethiopia, particularly Debre Tabor, epidemiological data on the prevalence and associated variables of endoparasites among under-five children is unavailable. Thus, the aim of this study was to gather baseline data on the prevalence of endoparasites and their associated variables among under-five children who visited the Debre Tabor comprehensive specialized hospital in Northwest Ethiopia. A hospital-based quantitative cross-sectional study was used. The study was carried out from May 1 to November 30, 2021. Study participants were selected by a systematic sampling technique. The stool specimen was examined for the presence of different stages of intestinal parasites (adult, trophozoite, larvae, cysts, and ova) using direct wet mount, modified formal-ether sedimentation, and modified Ziehl–Neelsen methods. The IBM SPSS statistical package (version 23) was used to enter and analyze the collected data. The data was summarized using frequency tables and a bar chart. The adjusted odds ratio and p value <0.05 were used to declare the final association. In the present study, a total of 258 under-five children and their mothers/guardians were involved in the study, with a response rate of 100%. More than half of the respondents, 137 (53.10%), were females, and 159 (61.63%) were in the age group of 24 to 59 months. The overall prevalence of one or more endoparasites among under-five children was 45 (17.44%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that health supervision, child food freshness, regular trimming of fingernails, and children's playground cleanliness were significantly associated with childhood endoparasites. The present study demonstrated a higher prevalence of endoparasites among under-five children. Health supervision, child food freshness, regular trimming of fingernails, and children's playground cleanliness were significantly associated with endoparasites. Thus, strengthening health education about food, personal, and environmental hygiene for both children and their mothers/guardians is crucial.

First report of cryptosporidiosis among Iraqi children

Of 240 Iraqi children under five years old with a primary diagnosis of gastroenteritis and dehydration, 22 were excreting Cryptosporidium oocysts in their stools. This is the first reported occurrence of cryptosporidiosis among Iraqi schoolchildren. Samples were collected and examined by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen method between March and November 1994. The frequency distribution of Cryptosporidium among 114 positive cases with intestinal parasites was 18.3%. The boy-to-girl ratio was 1:2 among the Cryptosporidium-positive children. Most patients complained of abdominal colic and watery diarrhoea and were clinically dehydrated. The associated symptoms were fever and vomiting. Cryptosporidium and Giardia appeared to be associated

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium in Feral and Farmed American Mink (Neovison vison) in Denmark

To investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in farmed and feral mink in Denmark. We examined meat juice from 235 feral mink and 306 farmed mink for T. gondii antibodies, and faecal samples from 113 feral mink and 166 farmed mink for Cryptosporidium oocyst excretion. Meat juice was analysed using a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and oocyst excretion was identified by a modified Ziehl-Neelsen method. All farmed mink tested sero-negative, while 53.6% of feral mink were T. gondii sero-positive. The probability of being sero-positive for T. gondii was not associated with recent escapes from farms (p = 0.468), but was significantly higher for male feral mink (64.2%) than female feral mink (42.5%) (p = 0.0008). Only one feral mink and four farmed mink (2.4%) excreted Cryptosporidium oocysts. Farmed mink were all T. gondii sero-negative, whereas approximately half the feral mink were sero-positive. Cryptosporidium prevalence in farmed and feral mink were low. Overall, the public health risk of transmission of these two parasites via mink in Denmark is low.

Cryptosporidiosis in Children in Duhok City / Kurdistan Region / Iraq.

This is the first study to detect cryptosporidiosis among children in Duhok city/Kurdistan region of Iraq. The study included 332 stool samples of children using Modified Ziehl Neelsen Method (MZNM) and 122 of these were randomly selected to detect Cryptosporidium by ELISA. By MZNM, the infection rate of Cryptosporidium oocysts was 66.95% in children; 44.68% in immunocompromised (ICD) and 22.27% in immunocompetent (ICT) group. Among ICT children, the infection rate was highest among less than one year of age (39.34%) in diarrheoic group, while in non-diarrheoic group, it was highest among 1-4 years age (28.57%). Among ICD children, the relations were non-significant among ages. Out of 122 stool samples of children, 26 (21.31%), and 30 (24.59%) were positive by MZNM and ELISA, respectively. In conclusion, ELISA was more sensitive and specific than MZNM which were 82.5% and 90.91% respectively. This study indicates that asymptomatic infection is common among different age groups of children.

Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites from Abattoir Effluents in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites from abattoir effluents. A total of 200 samples were examined out of which 50 samples each from Goat, Sheep, Pig and Cow respectively. These samples were processed using standard parasitological techniques including macroscopy, microscopy; formol ether concentration and modified Ziehl Neelsen method. Out of the 200 samples examined 109 where positive for intestinal parasites. This result revealed an overall prevalence of 54.5% in all. A total of 30 (60%) was recorded for goat, 23 (46.0%) cow, 29 (58.0%) sheep and 27 (54.0%) pigs. The prevalence of different parasites encountered included <i>Ascaris suum</i> (5.6%), <i>Trichuris trichiura</i> (3.2%), Hookworm (24.2%), <i>Strongyloides stercolaris</i> (0.8%), <i>Teania</i> spp. (2.8%), <i>Enterobius vermicularis</i> (7.1%) <i>Trichostrongylus</i> (8.3%), <i>Diphyllobothrium latum</i> (0.4%), <i>Schistosoma intercalatum</i> (0.1%), <i>Fasciolopsis buski</i> (8.3%), <i>Fasciola hepatica</i> (3.2%) and <i>Metagonimus yokogawai</i> (0.4%). Others were <i>Paragonimus westermani</i> (0.4%), <i>Entamoeba coli</i> (9.9%), <i>Entamoeba histolytica</i> (6.7%), <i>Giardia lamblia</i> (4.4%), <i>Trichomonas hartmani</i> (0.8%), <i>Balantidium coli</i> (11.1%) and <i>Oocyst of Crypstoporidium</i> (2.0%). The highest prevalence was hookworm (42.6%) in goat and <i>Balantidium coli</i> (60.7%) in pigs. <i>Fasciolopsis buski</i> and <i>Metagonimus yokogawai</i> had the lowest prevalence (0.4%). There was a significant prevalence of intestinal parasites in effluents of Jos Abbatoir.

Cryptosporidiosis in Cattle and Sheep in Duhok City / Kurdistan Region / Iraq

The study was performed to detect cryptosporidiosis in animals in Duhok city /Kurdistan region of Iraq by examining 348 fecal samples of cattle and 280 of sheep using Modified Ziehl Neelsen Method (MZNM) to detect the oocysts of Cryptosporidium. A total of 233 fecal samples (129 cattle, 104 sheep) were randomly chosen to detect coproantigen of Cryptosporidium by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).&#x0D; By MZNM, the total rate of cryptosporidiosis was 26.15% , 11.07% in cattle and sheep respectively. The infection rates were 28.99%, 24.29% in diarrheic and non-diarrheic groups of cattle respectively. While in sheep; the infection rates were 23.26% and 5.67% in diarrheic and non-diarrheic groups, respectively.&#x0D; Out of 129 fecal samples of cattle, 31(24.03%), and 37 (28.68%) were positive by MZNM, and ELISA respectively. A total of 104 fecal samples of sheep, 23(22.12%), and 24(23.08%) were positive by MZNM, and ELISA, respectively.&#x0D; The highest infection rate by MZNM, and ELISA was among the age group 1-2 months in diarrheic cattle and sheep, while in non-diarrheic cattle and sheep, it was among 3-6 months age group.&#x0D; This study indicated that infection was associated with diarrhea in all ages and it decreased with increasing of age.

Occurrence and diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis in cattle calves with clinical diarrhoea

ABSTRACT Faecal samples were collected from a total of 148 cattle calves, up to 3 months of age, having clinical diarrhoea during different seasons of the study period from November 2017 to October 2018 from organized farms of Uttar Pradesh. All the samples were screened for the presence of cryptosporidium oocysts by staining the faecal smear by a modified Ziehl–Neelsen method. An overall occurrence of 18.2% was observed in calves with clinical cases of mild to severe diarrhoea. The occurrence was highest (25.6%, 19/74) in young calves (up to 1 month age) followed by the calves of age groups 1–2 months (15.2%, 7/46) and 2–3 months (3.5%, 1/28), respectively. The seasonal occurrence was highest in rainy season (26.41%, 14/53) followed by winter season (16.3%, 10/61) and summer season (8.8%, 3/34). All the positive faecal samples were used for the purification of oocyst by modified Shether’s Floatation method with slight modification for the mucoid diarrhoeac faeces to improve the efficacy and recovery of purification. The purified cryptosporidium oocysts were used as candidates for the development of advanced diagnostics, future vaccines and further studies of cryptosporidium in different experimental models.

Detection of the presence of Coxiella burnetii in a case of goat abortion: a first report from India

Abortion is a major cause of economic loss to the goat industry. Coxiella burnetii the causative agent of Q fever is an important zoonotic agent known to be prevalent worldwide. In the present investigation, we detected the presence of Coxiella burnetii by the modified Ziehl Neelsen method of staining and its DNA by trans-PCR assay in the placenta obtained from the aborted goat. We also ruled out other common causes of abortion in this case. Based on a literature survey, this is the first report on the direct detection of Coxiella burnetii from an aborted goat to be reported from India.

Occurrence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium sp. in sheep

Considered a zoonosis of utmost importance, cryptosporidiosis has a worldwide distribution and can infect mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. It is caused by a highly resistant protozoan present in the environment and can cause death in immunosuppressed individuals and pups, as well as in farm animals such as cattle and sheep, generating losses. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. in sheep feces from the farms of Western Paraná, which have different management styles, and compare the results with their respective management methods. One hundred and forty-four stool samples were collected (69 from Property 1 and 75 from Property 2) and analyzed using a fecal smear on slides after staining by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen method. Samples tested positive by this method were subjected to nested PCR and the products obtained were sent for sequencing to determine the species. While 82.60% of the samples from Property 1 were tested positive, only 36% of the samples from Property 2 were tested positive. On analyzing the sequencing data, it was observed that the Cryptosporidium species of samples from Property 1 showed high similarity to Cryptosporidium xiaoi and those from Property 2, to Cryptosporidium ubiquitum. The reason for divergence in results can be attributed to differences in management systems adopted by each property, thus showing the importance of detecting carrier animals, as they can contaminate the environment, especially the water sources, and spread the disease to humans and other animals.

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in calves under one year old in Ilam county (Iran), from March 2014 to February 2015.

IntroductionCryptosporidium is a coccidian parasite that can infect most mammals, including humans. This parasite is an important cause of neonatal diarrhea and morbidity in calves, causing substantial economic loss to animal husbandry. Because of the importance of this parasite in calves, this study was designed in order to determine prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. among calves under one year old in Ilam county (Iran).MethodsPrevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. was estimated using a cross-sectional study. Fecal samples from 400 calves under 1 year old were collected in Ilam County, from March 2014 to February 2015 and they were microscopically analyzed using modified Ziehl-Neelsen method (mZN).ResultsThe overall prevalence of Cryptosporidiosis in calves was 16% (64/400). According to age categories, the highest infection was observed in calves under one month old, and the lowest infection occurred in calves 6 to 12 months old. Age was significantly associated with Cryptosporidium spp. infection (p<0.05). The prevalence of Cryptosporidiosis in diarrheic and none diarrheic calves was 27.3 and 12.4 % respectively, which indicated a significant association between positivity and diarrhea (p<0.05). The highest prevalence was observed in winter followed by autumn, spring and summer respectively. No statically difference was found between prevalence of Cryptosporidiosis and seasons of sampling. Also, calves’ gender was not associated with Cryptosporidium spp. infection in this study.ConclusionOur results provide useful information about the distribution of Cryptosporidium spp. Also, the role of potential risk factors including age, sex, clinical status and seasons of sampling was indicated in studied calves from Ilam County.

COMPARISON OF IMMUNOCHROMATOGRAPHIC TEST AND MICROSCOPY IN THE DETECTION OF SOME ENTERIC PROTOZOA IN STOOL SAMPLES

Infection with pathogenic intestinal protozoa. as Giardia lamblia,, Entamoeba histolytica and Cryptosporidium parvum cause considerable gastrointestinal morbidity, malnutrition and mortality worldwide, especially among young children in developing countries. The present study was carried out on 71 cases (44 males & 27 females) chosen from Pediatric and Internal Medicine Inpatient and Outpatient Clinics of Zagazig University Hospitals, complaining of different gastrointestinal troubles with an age range of 6-60 years. Also, 20 apparently healthy individuals (11 males & 9 females) cross matched were considered as a control negative group. All stool samples were examined by direct wet smears, concentration techniques, staining of the smears using trichrome stain and Modified Ziehl-Neelsen method. Copro-antigen detection in faecal sample was by using quick immunochromatographic test. A total of 71 cases suffering from different GIT manifestations showed G. lamblia (30.7%), Cryptosporidium parvum (19.8%), EntamoebahistolyticalE. dispar (11%) and mixed infection of three protozoa (6.6%). However, by copro-antigen G. lamblia was positive in (31.8%) of C. parvum in (20.9%); E. histolytica/E. dispar in (11%) of cases. Immunochromatography/copro-antigen test recorded sensitivity and spec- ificity of (100%) and (96.6%) respectively in G. lamblia detection. For C. parvum, sensitivity was (100%) and specificity was (97.1%) while for E. histolytica/E. dispar. sensitivity and specificity were (100%) for both. Immunochromatographic assay proved to be simple, easy and useful in confirming absence or the presence of intestinal protozoan infection in clinically suspected cases with negative stool examination.