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

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.


Introduction
financial losses, but also in terms of health, due to the zoonotic nature of the disease.Since then, the parasitic Cryptosporidium is an apicomplexan intestinal infections in lambs and goat kids with and without protozoan, which infects the gastrointestinal tract of diarrhea have been reported from many parts of the domestic animals and humans [1].There are currently world [7].Methods to detect Cryptosporidium spp. in 16 recognized species of Cryptosporidium, which have feces usually involve microscopic examination of been isolated from a large variety of hosts which stained fecal smears (modified Ziehl-Neelsen, safranin include all the five groups [including Amphibians, methylene blue, auramine phenol), antigen detection Fishes, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals] of vertebrates [2].
(immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent Transmission occurs through the fecal-oral route, assay or genome detection (polymerase chain reaction following direct contact with Cryptosporidium oocysts amplification of the 18S rRNA gene).Each method via person-to-person, zoonotic, waterborne, foodborne varies in sensitivity and specificity and there is no or airborne contact [3].Most of the data on the universally accepted 'best method' [8].Cryptosporiprevalence of cryptosporidial infection in farm animals diosis was first described in lambs with diarrhoea in is related to cattle.In comparison, there is very less Iran [9], and since then few studies have been carried information on the occurrence of cryptosporidiosis in out to determine the prevalence of cryptosporidial sheep and goats [4].Cryptosporidiosis was first infection in lambs and goat kids [10,11].described in lambs with diarrhea in Australia, but no This article describes the prevalence of cryptocausative role could be ascribed to the organism sporidiosis in lambs and goat kids in the Kurdistan because of the coincidental infections with pathogenic province in west of Iran and links its association with bacteria.Its role as a primary etiological agent of various risk factors that include age, sex, and stool diarrhea in lambs was confirmed in the early 1980s in consistency.the studies on natural and experimental infections [5,6].In goats, infection with Cryptosporidium spp. is Infection rates were significantly higher in lambs and Moreover, all the animals in this study were aged goat kids less than 1month of age (11.34% and 22.88%) 1-6 months.Fecal samples of animals were collected than in the remaining age groups (P< 0.05), thus the directly from their rectum.The fecal samples were then highest risk of being infected with Cryptosporidium in fixed as quickly as possible in 10% formalin for lambs and goat kids is in the first month of their life.preserving until further examination.Moderately thick Microscopic examination showed that the lambs and fecal smears were prepared and air-dried.After fixation goat kids of both sexes were infected with Cryptosporiby methanol, the fecal smears were stained by modified dium: 6.02%, 8.32% of male animals and 4.22%, Ziehl-Neelsen staining.The stained smears were 10.54% of female animals were infected.There was no observed under microscope with a ×400 to ×1,000 significant difference between prevalence percentages.magnifications.The Cryptosporidium spp.oocysts were Discussion visualized as bright red round bodies against a pale green background, containing elongated naked

very important for the economy not only because of the
In our study, Cryptosporidium oocysts were identified sporozoites.Cryptosporidium infection was scored in 12.17% of the examined samples.Infection rate in either positive or negative based on the presence or lambs was 10.24%, which shows a high infection rate.absence of the oocysts in the examined microscopic Also, 18.86% of goat kids were infected.These results fields in each sample.A sample was considered positive show that the Cryptosporidium infection is present at a for Cryptosporidium spp.if an oocyst was detected high rate in the livestock of Kurdistan region.Similar bearing the correct morphology, i.e., optical properties, studies have been carried out in different regions of the internal structures, size, and shape [3].
country and those studies mostly reported higher prevalence in the similar study groups.For example, Statistical analysis: The results are expressed in 17.2% in sheep in Lorestan [13], 10.8% in calves in percentages.The prevalence for Cryptosporidium was 2 Isfahan [14] 12.8% and 2.5% in calves and goat kids in statistically analyzed by the Chi-square test (χ ) Hamadan [10], 2% in dogs in Kerman [15], and 22.6% considering the variables sex, age and stool consisinfection rate in camels in Yazd [16], respectively.tency.The differences were considered statistically In other countries, the prevalence was as follows: significant at P<0.05.SPSS 10.0 for Windows was more than 20% of fecal samples examined from goats, used to perform the statistical analyses [12].cows, buffaloes, and sheep were positive for

Results
Cryptosporidium in Egypt [17].In Iraq, similar The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in lambs and findings were reported [18].In Turkey, the prevalence goat kids in Kurdistan province were found to be rate in neonatal lambs was 21.05% [19].In Europe, 10.24% and 18.86%, respectively.Results show that Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in 42.1% of the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in diarrhoeic the examined lambs and 31.8%goat kids in Serbia [20].practices may have influenced the exposure of animals

Ethical approval: Sample collection:
In this study, 850 and 350 fecal Permission was obtained from a local ethics committee acting under guidance from Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Alborz, Iran.samples were collected randomly from lambs and goat and non-diarrhoeic lambs and goat kids were 64.37% kids, respectively.Samples were collected from 48 (56/87), 30.51% (18/59), 4.06% (31/763) and 16.49% villages in Kurdistan district, west of Iran.Livestock (48/291), respectively (P<0.05;Table-1 and 2).The information was collected by direct observation and by prevalence of the infection according to age groups in questioning of owners, and included the status of lambs and goat kids are shown in Table-3 and 4. animals as diarrheic and non-diarrheic groups.

Table - 1
. Frequency of detection of Cryptosporidium spp.oocysts in the fecal samples of lambs Table-2.Frequency of detection of Cryptosporidium spp.oocysts in the fecal samples of goat kids Cryptosporidium different geographical regions may be the result of bovins sp.n. from lambs and Cryptosporidium bovis spp.n. differences in the levels of contamination of the from a calf with observations on the oocyst.Z. Parasıtenkd., environment with oocysts of the parasite or may be due 44:289-298. to differences in the infectivity of different Cryptosporidium 5. Angus, K.W., Appleyard, W.T., Menzies, J.D., Campbell, I. and Sherwood, D. (1982) An outbreak of diarrhea associated spp.populations.It is also possible that the quality of with cryptosporidiosis in naturally reared lambs.Vet.Rec.,