[Risk factors of Cryptosporidium sp. infection in household dogs of Campos dos Goytacazes City on Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil].

Cryptosporidium sp. is an opportunistic protozoan parasite that may infect animals and humans, causing asymptomatic to severe intestinal infections, according to the immunological response of the hosts. The present work had the objective to determine the risk factors involved on Cryptosporidium sp. infection in dogs from Campos dos Goytacazes City on Rio de Janeiro State; and the frequency of this protozoan. Independent of sex, age, consistency and health of dogs, 200 feces samples were analyzed. Data were obtained using a questionnaire with the dogs owners. Feces were analyzed with an optical microscope after the concentration by modified Ritchie technique and coloring with the modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique. Association tests through c2 and multiple logistic regression analysis were made. Among the 200 dogs analyzed, 90 (45%) showed oocysts of Cryptosporidium genus in the feces. The conclusion was that the occurrence of asymptomatic cryptosporidiosis in dogs from the City of Campos dos Goytacazes is high. The risk factors involved are the social level of the owner, presence of cats and sporadic stage of vomiting and diarrhea. The final model detected the risk factors by social level, other animals, regions of the city, kind of residence, sporadic stage of vomiting and diarrhea.