Clinical cases of zoonotic (subtype IIdA15G1) infections in Korean goats.

is an enteric protozoan, which causes severe diarrhoea in a wide range of vertebrate hosts including ruminants and humans. infections are responsible for immense economic losses to the livestock industry; furthermore, the zoonotic spread of the infection may lead to mortality in immunosuppressed humans. In the present study, we report two cases of severe cryptosporidiosis in goat kids in the Republic of Korea. Both cases were afflicted with severe diarrhoea upon presentation; the histopathological examinations revealed atrophied and fused intestinal villi and numerous circular basophilic organisms in the jejunum and ileum. Both cases were diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis based on the results of the histopathological analysis, amplification of the gene, modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining, and antigen ELISA. According to the phylogenetic analysis using the gene for the genetic subtypes, the isolates were identified as subtype IIdA15G1 with zoonotic potential. This is the first pathological report of caprine cryptosporidiosis induced by  subtype IId in the Republic of Korea. Considering the clinical manifestations associated with the pathological lesions and the zoonotic significance of these findings, the continuous monitoring and prevention of  infections in goats are essential for minimising the economic losses in ruminant farms and in maintaining public health safety standards.