MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SPP. IN SMALL RUMINANTS
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Date
2021
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Abstract
Cryptosporidium is an emerging zoonotic enteropathogenic apicomplexan protozoa causing neonatal diarrhoea syndrome in ruminants, birds and human beings. In this study, prevalence, risk factors assessment, molecular detection and identification of species of Cryptosporidium in small ruminants of Tamil Nadu was attempted. A total of 254 dung samples (115 sheep and 139 goats) were collected from seven agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu for identification of Cryptosporidium infection in small ruminants during the period from November 2019 to March 2020 and December 2020 to February 2021. Risk factors such as age, sex, breed, season and consistency of dung were analysed.
Overall prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in small ruminants was 22.05%. The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis was found to be more in goats (30.22%) than in sheep (12.17%). Among the agro-climatic zone prevalence, the percentage of prevalence was found to be more in North Western zone (29.27%) followed by Western zone (28.00%), North Eastern zone (27.27%), high rainfall zone (25.00%), Cauvery delta zone (20.31%) and Southern zone (8.33%). Cryptosporidiosis was not observed in Hilly zone (0.0%).