Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
Hepatitis Research Center, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Science, Khorramabad, Iran.
Vet Med Sci. 2023 Jan;9(1):363-371. doi: 10.1002/vms3.1024. Epub 2022 Dec 19.
Cryptosporidium spp. are opportunistic intestinal protozoans with global distribution and are of great importance as zoonotic protozoans are common to humans and domestic animals, including cattle and calves. Identification and detection of parasite species using precise methods including molecular methods can be an effective step in treating and controlling parasites.
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium among breeding calves of Khorramabad city, Lorestan province, Western Iran, using PCR.
The faecal samples were taken from 181 healthy and diarrhoeal calves and after the Ziehl Neelsen Acid-fast staining and microscopic evaluation, the genomic DNA was extracted for molecular evaluations. To detect Cryptosporidium species, specific primers targeting the SAM-1 gene of Cryptosporidium and a commercial master mix were used for PCR.
Out of 181 faecal samples of breeding calves in Khorramabad city, 9 samples (5%) were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. using the PCR method. Statistical analysis of the data showed that there was no significant statistical relationship between Cryptosporidium infection of the calves and variables of age, breed, type of water consumption, clinical signs of diarrhoea, and sampling location, while parasite infection had a significant relationship with calf gender so that all Cryptosporidium positive samples were from male calves (p ≤ 0.05).
Considering the presence of Cryptosporidium infection, the region's traditional grazing system, and the close relationship between livestock and humans, there is a possibility of human infection in the region. So preventive measures such as periodic animal testing with sensitive and accurate diagnostic techniques including PCR, pharmacological treatment of livestock, water hygiene and the use of industrial grazing instead of traditional grazing to improve the hygiene of food consumed by livestock are recommended.
隐孢子虫属是一种具有全球分布的机会性肠道原生动物，作为人畜共患的原生动物，它们在牛和小牛等家畜中很常见，因此非常重要。使用包括分子方法在内的精确方法鉴定和检测寄生虫种类，可以成为治疗和控制寄生虫的有效步骤。
本研究旨在通过 PCR 调查伊朗西部洛雷斯坦省霍拉马巴德市繁殖小牛中隐孢子虫的流行情况。
从 181 头健康和腹泻的小牛中采集粪便样本，经齐尔-尼尔森抗酸染色和显微镜评估后，提取基因组 DNA 进行分子评估。为了检测隐孢子虫种类，使用针对隐孢子虫 SAM-1 基因的特异性引物和商业主混合物进行 PCR。
在霍拉马巴德市的 181 份繁殖小牛粪便样本中，有 9 份（5%）通过 PCR 方法检测到隐孢子虫属。对数据进行统计分析表明，隐孢子虫感染与小牛的年龄、品种、饮用水类型、腹泻临床症状和采样地点等变量之间没有显著的统计学关系，而寄生虫感染与小牛的性别有显著关系，因此所有隐孢子虫阳性样本均来自雄性小牛（p≤0.05）。
考虑到隐孢子虫感染的存在、该地区的传统放牧系统以及家畜与人之间的密切关系，该地区存在人类感染的可能性。因此，建议采取预防措施，例如定期使用 PCR 等敏感和准确的诊断技术对动物进行检测、对家畜进行药物治疗、保持水卫生和使用工业放牧代替传统放牧以提高家畜食用食物的卫生水平。
