Molecular Determination and Genotyping of Cryptosporidium Spp. in Fecal and Respiratory Samples of Industrial Poultry in Iran

Objective: To identify the genotypes of prevalent Cryptosporidia in broiler chickens in Lorestan province, Iran.

Methods: A total of 1 000 fecal and 1 000 trachea samples were collected from chickens. Smears from both fecal and tracheal samples were stained with modified Ziehl-Neelsen method and nested PCR-RFLP according to amplification of 18S rRNA gene using Ssp I and Vsp I restriction enzymes and DNA sequencing.

Results: From the examined chickens 0.7% was positive for Cryptosporidium. Infection was present in 0.5% fecal samples and also in 0.5% trachea. Only 0.3% of simultaneous infections in fecal and tracheal samples were observed. Nested PCR of our isolates demonstrated Cryptosporidium baileyi.

Conclusions: In our work, low rate of Cryptosporidium baileyi infection was detected, but in critical situations and our poor management circumstances, cryptosporidiosis occurs in serious feature especially in immune suppressed individuals.