Investigation of the Prevalence of Cryptosporidium Spp. in Lambs with Carbol-Fuchsin Dye and Immunochromatographic Rapid Test Kits in Kırıkkale

Abstract

 Cryptosporidiosis is an acute or chronic enteric disease caused by Cryptosporidium species and seen in neonatal or immunocompromised animals and humans. It causes a serious infection, especially of newborn calves and lambs that results in a serious economic loss. In this study, we aimed to diagnose Cryptosporidium spp. using carbolfuchsin staining and a ready-made diagnostic kit and subsequently to determine its prevalence in neonatal lamb in Kırıkkale province. !e study also aimed to determine the etiologic frequency of Cryptosporidium spp. in lamb diarrhea. !is further aimed to compared carbol-fuchsin staining and the rapid diagnostic kit by means of diagnostic rate. !e fecal samples used in the study were collected from 0-30 days old newborn lambs in Kırıkkale province. Fecal samples were collected from a total of 110 lambs with and without symptoms of Cryptosporidiosis and stained with Carbol-fuchsin dye in accordance with the technique and examined with immersion oil at a magni"cation of 100x. As a diagnostic criterion, observation of a single agent is considered as enough evidence to consider the case positive. Positive samples were scored according to their density and photographs were taken. Samples were also examined with a second diagnostic procedure, the rapid diagnostic kit, following the vendor recommended protocol. Cryptosporidium spp. was detected with an incidence rate of %4,54 (5/110) in carbol-fuchsin staining while it was %47,2 (52/110) in the ready-made diagnostic kit method that indicates there was a signi"cant di#erence between the two used methods by means of the diagnostic rate (p<0.001). !ere was no gender and age di#erences by means of diagnosed cases (p=0.382 and p=0.397, respectively). As result, there is a considerable Cryptosporidium spp. prevalence in the Kırıkkale province. Furthermore, compared to carbol-fuchsin staining the rapid diagnostic kit seems to be more sensitive to Cryptosporidium spp.