Identification of Cryptosporidium from Dairy Cattle in Pahang, Malaysia

Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite, can cause cryptosporidiosis which is a gastrointestinal disease that can infect humans and livestock. Cattle are the most common livestock that can be infected with this protozoan. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia and to find out the association between the occurrence of infection and 3 different ages of cattle (calves less than 1 year, yearling, and adult cattle). The samples were processed by using formol-ether concentration technique and stained by modified Ziehl Neelsen. The results showed that 15.9% (24/151) of cattle were positive for Cryptosporidium oocysts. The occurrence of Cryptosporidium in calves less than 1 year was the highest with the percentage of 20.0% (11/55) followed by yearling and adult cattle, with the percentage occurrence of 15.6 % (7/45) and 11.8% (6/51), respectively. There was no significant association between the occurrence and age of cattle and presence of diarrhea. Good management practices and proper hygiene management must be taken in order to reduce the infection. It is highly important to control the infection since infected cattle may serve as potential reservoirs of the infection to other animals and humans, especially animal handlers.

[1]  R. Gasser,et al.  Molecular analysis of Cryptosporidium from cattle from five states of Peninsular Malaysia. , 2016, Molecular and cellular probes.

[2]  Longxian Zhang,et al.  Occurrence and molecular identification of Cryptosporidium spp. in dairy calves in Xinjiang, Northwestern China. , 2015, Veterinary parasitology.

[3]  Ming Wang,et al.  Prevalence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in dairy cattle in Ningxia, northwestern China , 2014, BMC Veterinary Research.

[4]  Longxian Zhang,et al.  Cryptosporidiosis caused by Cryptosporidium parvum subtype IIdA15G1 at a dairy farm in Northwestern China , 2014, Parasites & Vectors.

[5]  K. Adjou,et al.  Study of Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp. and Eimeria spp. infections in dairy cattle in Algeria , 2014 .

[6]  M. Izadi,et al.  Cryptosporidiosis in Iranian Farm Workers and Their Household Members: A Hypothesis about Possible Zoonotic Transmission , 2014, Journal of tropical medicine.

[7]  A. Daugschies,et al.  Cryptosporidium infections: molecular advances , 2014, Parasitology.

[8]  Y. U. Dabai,et al.  Point prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocyst in calves grazing along River Rima bank in Sokoto, Nigeria. , 2014, Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS.

[9]  B. Megersa,et al.  Cryptosporidium in Calves, Lambs and Kids at Haramaya, eastern Ethiopia , 2014 .

[10]  Lihua Xiao,et al.  Prevalence and characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in dairy cattle in Nile River delta provinces, Egypt. , 2013, Experimental parasitology.

[11]  A. Rzeżutka,et al.  Occurrence and molecular identification of Cryptosporidium species isolated from cattle in Poland. , 2013, Veterinary parasitology.

[12]  Jianping Cao,et al.  Distribution and Genetic Characterizations of Cryptosporidium spp. in Pre-Weaned Dairy Calves in Northeastern China’s Heilongjiang Province , 2013, PloS one.

[13]  P. Banerjee,et al.  Prevalence and risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium spp. infection in young domestic livestock in India , 2013, Tropical Animal Health and Production.

[14]  R. Jafari,et al.  Prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection among livestock and humans in contact with livestock in Hamadan district, Iran, 2012. , 2012, Journal of research in health sciences.

[15]  M. A. Zubaidi.  Prevalence of some Cryptosporidium species in cattle in Baghdad ,Iraq , 2012 .

[16]  V. Cama,et al.  Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in native breeds of cattle in Kaduna State, Nigeria. , 2011, Veterinary parasitology.

[17]  I. Robertson,et al.  Prevalence of and management factors contributing to Cryptosporidium sp. infection in pre-weaned and post-weaned calves in Johor, Malaysia. , 2011, Experimental parasitology.

[18]  R. Chalmers,et al.  Zoonotic Cryptosporidiosis from Petting Farms, England and Wales, 1992–2009 , 2011, Emerging infectious diseases.

[19]  U. Emanuelson,et al.  Prevalence and associated management factors of Cryptosporidium shedding in 50 Swedish dairy herds. , 2009, Preventive veterinary medicine.

[20]  R. Fayer,et al.  A longitudinal study of cryptosporidiosis in dairy cattle from birth to 2 years of age. , 2008, Veterinary parasitology.

[21]  P. Karanis,et al.  First report of Cryptosporidium deer-like genotype in Malaysian cattle. , 2008, Veterinary parasitology.

[22]  M. Azami.  Prevalence of Cryptosporidium Infection in Cattle in Isfahan, Iran , 2007, The Journal of eukaryotic microbiology.

[23]  Y. Lim,et al.  Contribution of cattle farms towards river contamination with Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts in Sungai Langat Basin. , 2005, Tropical biomedicine.

[24]  P J O'Donoghue,et al.  Cryptosporidium and cryptosporidiosis in man and animals. , 1995, International journal for parasitology.

[25]  D S Ridley,et al.  Further observations on the formol-ether concentration technique for faecal parasites. , 1970, Journal of clinical pathology.