PREVALENCE OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SP. IN FARM ANIMALS IN WESTERN POMERANIA

Bogumiła Pilarczyk, Aleksandra Balicka-Ramisz

ABSTRACT

Studies on cryptosporidiosis were carried out on 171 calves from 5 selected farms in the region of Western Pomerania , 37 lambs from 2 farms and 26 colts, respectively, between March 1999 and June 2001. The detection of Cryptosporidium sp. based on the two methods, ie. the Ziehl–Neelsen staining technique and the coproantigen test. The positive effects having applied the coproantigen test were recorded in 24.56% calves, 24.32% lambs, and 11.54% colts.

Key words: Cryptosporidium sp., calves, lambs, colts.

INTRODUCTION

The Cryptosporidium sp. infection was recorded in over 170 animal species in 50 countries [15]. The Cryptosporidium sp. has long been known in the veterinary medicine as the factor causing intestine diseases (in calves, lambs, goatlings and colts) and also respiratory tract diseases (in turkeys, chicken and pheasants). Up to the present time 8 species of Cryptosporidium sp. have been discovered , ie. C. felis, C. wrairi, C. parvum, C. muris, C. meleagridis, C. baileyi, C. serpentis, and C. nasorum. The Cryptosporidium species belong to the Apicomplexa type which cause the diseased called cryptosporidiosis in humans and several animal species [6, 7]. The humans get infected with this parasite by means of the contaminated environment. The main source of the plague are the adult animals which are asymptomatic carriers of the oocyst, the fodder contaminated with the dung of mice and rats, the fodder containers, the boxes, the dirty clothes of the staff and the tools [1].

The oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. can survive for a long time in the surface water [18]. Several epidemics of cryptosporidiosis deriving from water in humans were recorded in the USA [8]. The humans can get infected having contact with animals [7]. The symptomatic cryptosporidiosis in humans with the immunological deficiency causes chronic emaciating diarrhoeas, which are the direct cause of death in 3–15% AIDS patients.

The Cryptosporidium was first described by Tyzzer, who recorded C. muris in the stomach of mouse in 1907 (Tyzzer 1907). Whereas, the Cryptosporidium sp. in the cattle in the USA was first described by Panciera et al. [17]. Since 1980 the interest in the infections induced by Cryptosporidium sp. has grown world over.

In the majority of cases the cryptosporidiosis is diagnosed due to the presence of the oocysts and/or antigens in the feces. Over 20 methods of staining aiming at the oocysts identification are applied in the microscopic diagnostics of cryptosporidiosis [22]. However the microscopic methods frequently fail in the diagnosis of the asymptomatic infections, which are slightly intensive (50 000 oocysts in 1 g feces constitute the detectable limit) [21].

There are scarce data on the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. in farm animals in West Pomerania.

The aim of this work was to examine the epizootic invasion of Cryptosporidium sp. in farm animals (calves, lambs, and colts) in Western Pomerania.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The research was conducted in Western Pomerania between March 1999 and June 2001. It comprised 171 calves of the holstein breed with 50% hf content from 5 large–stock farms. The calves under examination were 4 to 27 days–old. Some of them were diagnosed with diarrhoea. The research comprised also 2–14 days–old 37 lambs from two large–stock farms and 26 colts of 2–10 weeks of age.

The examination of the feces samples to detect Cryptosporidium was worked out with the modified technique of Ziehl–Neelsen staining method (Anonymous 1991), as well as a commercial immunoenzymatic microtest (ProSpecTŽ Cryptosporidium Microplate Assay, Alexon Inc.). The immunoenzymatic test was applied according to the producer’s instruction.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The coproscopic examinations proved that the calves of both sexes were infected with Cryptosporidium sp. at 24.56% (Table 2). Majewska et al. [12] found the oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. in Wielkopolska in 34.4% cattle (39.7% calves, 6.6% cows). Kozakiewicz et al. [10] recorded in their research conducted in 5 regions of Wielkopolska an extensive infection of calves with Cryptosporidium sp. at 38.7%. Another examination conducted by the same authors also in Wielkopolska proved the extensiveness of infection at 56.25% [11]. The extensiveness of Cryptosporidium sp. invasion in calves in other countries ammounts to: Sweden 13% [9], Canada 20.0% [16], Czechoslovakia 41.0% [19], Spain 19.7% [18].

The prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp.was mainly dependent on the age of the calves (Table 2). The oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. were found in the 4–19 days–old calves . The most infected with the Cryptosporidium sp. invasion were the calves between the 8^th and 11^th day of life (Table 2). Similar results were obtained by Sterba and Sulcova [19] and Kozakiewicz and Maszewska [10].

Relatively high intensivened of Cryptosporidium sp. invasion was recorded in 17 calves with the diarrhoea symptoms (yellowss–green watery consistency of feces with blood). Those calves were from B and A farms. The Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts were also found in calves devoid of any diarrhoea symptoms, which is determined by the age of calves and the intensiveness of invasion (Table 2). No oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. were found in calves from E farm (Table 1). The extensivenees of Cryptosporidium sp. infection amounted to: 31.81% in A, 34.62% in B, 12% in C, 25% in D (Table 1). No statistically significant differences between the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp in calves and their sex were observed (Table 3). This fact is also noted by other authors Aurich et al. [2].

Mlynarczyk et al. [14] stated that early feeding of the calves with the beestings of standard value rich in immunoglobulins is one of the factors preventing the infection with Cryptosporidium and effects negatively the intensiveness of invasion.

The cases of the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. in horses were recorded in various regions of the world and always accompanied diarrhoea and the incidence in colts, however these informations are contradictory while certain aspects of the infection still remain obscure [5, 23].

The coproscopic examinations showed that the colts in Western Pomerania were infected with Cryptosporidium sp. at 11.54%. This extensiveness was higher as compared to that in Germany and certain regions in the USA (Texas and Colorado), where it ranged between 0.033–3.0% [3, 4], however lower as compared to Canadian authors and other ones from the USA (Louisiana, Colorado, and Texas), where it ranged between 0.33–3.0% [3, 4], however lower as compared to Canadian authors and other ones from the USA (Louisiana, Colorado, and Texas), where it ranged between 17–100% [5,16]. Majewska et al. [13] stated in their research conducted in Wielkopolska the extensiveness of Cryptosporidium sp. infection in horses amounting to 9.4%.

Majewska et al. [12] recorded Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts in 8.8% sheep (6.7% lambs and 9.8% adults) in Wielkopolska. Present research proves the infection in lambs with Cryptosporidium sp. at 24.32% (Table 4). The prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. was mainly determined by the age of lambs (Table 4). The Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts were found in 4–12 days–old lambs. The most infected by the invasion of Cryptosporidium sp. were 8–10 days–old lambs (Table 5). According to various authors [16, 20, 23] the extensiveness of the invasion of Cryptosporidium sp. in lambs ranges from 23 to 100%. The differences result mainly from the geographical location and the zoohygienic conditions in the respective farms.

There is no potent antidote against cryptosporidiosis at present. The only way to fight against it is the annihilation of oocysts in the environment by means of: keeping the calves in the individual boxes during the first two weeks of life, isolating sick animals, aiming at the elimination of Cryptosporidium sp. from the environment, feeding the new–born animals with beestings immediately after birth.

CONCLUSIONS

Summing up it can be stated that the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. in farm animals of Western Pomerania can constitute a significant menace for the humans as well as a serious epizootiological problem.

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