BACKGROUND: The protozoancryptosporidiumisan important intestinal parasitic infection in domestic ruminants that has the potential for transmission between humans and livestock throughout the world and Iran. OBJECTIVES: The present study was undertaken to determine cryptosporidiuminfection in different age groupsof cattle and water buffaloesin farms of Mahabad suburb, Iran. METHODS: For this purpose, a total number of 248 fresh fecal samples were randomly collected from rectum of cattle and water buffaloesin farms of 4 villages from May2016 to May 2017. The fecal samples were subjected to floatation technique andcryptosporidiumoocysts were collected using Sucrose Gradient and Percole flotation technique and stained with modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of cryptosporidiuminfection was 50% (124/248). The highest rate of infection was significant in female calves (30.65%) less than one year-old. The highest infection rate was significantly found in summer (20.16%). Cryptosporidium parvum and C. andersoni were identified in 40.32% (100/248) and 9.68% (24/248) of examined cattle, respectively. Mixed infection was 8.47%. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that C.parvum was prevalent in cattle of the region, therefore, further molecular studies are recommended to determine the genotypes of the parasiteas a potential zoonotic agent.

In most countries, poultry are reared by traditional farmers d ue tothe relative minimum capital needed to start off, availability of feed and the fast period of the birds to grow. This research was conducted on turkeys which aims to study the abundance and prevalence of ectoparasites from three localities around Kedah, Malaysia. Atotal of 20 turkeys (eight males and twelve females) were examined for ectoparasites infestation and endoparasites infection.Six species of ectoparasites: five lice and a mite have been discovered. The most prevalent ectoparasite was Menopon gallinae with occurrence of 45%. Other external parasites recorded includeLipeurus caponis and Megninia cubitalis with occurrence of 40%, Menacanthus pallidulus (35%), Goniocotes gallinae (30%) and Chelopistes meleagridis (20%). There was a significant difference between the ectoparasite abundance in Jabatan Perkhidmatan Veterinar and Alor Belat Barat [ANOVA, F(2,17)=6.33, p=0.009]. These lice commonly found in the fluff of the feathers, especially at the neck,abdomen, and wings. Lipeurus caponis was found to have the highest infestation in all male and female turkeys and Menacanthus pallidulus was noted as the less common ectoparasite infesting both the male andfemale turkeys. Endoparasite infection was recorded in two species of parasite eggs of nematodes and protozoa. Oocyst of Eimeria spp. recorded the highest faecal egg count with 7300 epg compared to Capillaria spp. with only 1200 epg. Scavenging and pecking behaviour of turkeys in barn area with unsuitable farm housing environmentwere the major contributing factors to the infestation of ectoparasites as well as endoparasites infection.

During the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Animal Health Monitoring System’s (NAHMS) 2007‐2008 beef study, 567 producers from 24 US States were offered the opportunity to collect fecal samples from weaned beef calves and have them evaluated for the presence of parasite eggs (Phase 1). Participating producers were provided with instructions and materials for sample collection. Up to 20 fresh fecal samples were collected from each of the 99 participating operations. Fresh fecal samples were submitted to one of 3 randomly assigned laboratories for evaluation. Upon arrival at the laboratories, all samples were processed for the enumeration of strongyle, Nematodirus, and Trichuris eggs using the modified Wisconsin technique. The presence or absence of coccidian oocysts and tapeworm eggs was also noted. In submissions where the strongyle eggs per gram exceeded 30, aliquots from 2 to 6 animals were pooled for DNA extraction. Extracted DNA was subjected to genus level polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identification for the presence of Ostertagia, Cooperia, Haemonchus, Oesophagostomum, and Trichostrongylus. In this study, 85.6% of the samples had strongyle type, Nematodirus, and Trichuris eggs. Among the samples evaluated, 91% had Cooperia, 79% Ostertagia, 53% Haemonchus, 38% Oesophagostomum, 18% Nematodirus, 7% Trichuris, and 3% Trichostrongylus. The prevalence of coccidia and tapeworm eggs was 59.9% and 13.7%, respectively.

Four 1-year-old steers were each inoculated orally with 10,000 Toxoplasma gondii oocysts of the GT-1 strain and euthanatized on postinoculation days (PID) 350, 539, 1191, and 1201. Samples (500 g) of tongue, heart, semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles (roast), intercostal muscles (ribs), longismus muscles (tenderloin), brain, kidneys, liver, and small intestine were bioassayed for T. gondii by feeding to cats and examination of cat feces for shedding of oocysts. Toxoplasma gondii was recovered by bioassays in cats from the 3 steers necropsied PID 350, 539, and 1191, but not from the steer euthanatized on PID 1201. Cats shed oocysts after ingesting tongue from 2 steers, heart from 3 steers, liver from 2 steers, and roast, ribs, brain, and intestines from 1 steer each. Taxoplasma gondii was not isolated from any of the other bovine tissues. In addition to tissues bioassayed in cats, homogenates of mesenteric lymph nodes, lungs, spinal cord, spleen, and eyes were bioassayed in mice for T. gondii infection. Toxoplasma gondii was not recovered from the 135 mice inoculated with tissue from each of the 4 steers. All 4 inoculated steers developed high T. gondii antibody titers (greater than or equal to 1:8,000) in the agglutination test, using formalin-fixed whole tachyzoites. In the steer euthanatized on PID 1201, agglutinating T. gondii antibody titers decreased from 1:4,000 to 1:320 between 2 and 5 months after inoculation and to 1:20 by 19 months after inoculation.

Zoonotic parasitic gastroenteritis has been well-known as a serious limitation to humans as well as livestock productivityin terms of man-power, pathology and fiscal losses, as human infection with these helminths from cattle can resultfrom consumption of meat containing the infective stage of the worm. This study therefore investigates the presence ofzoonotic helminth infections among cattle in Minna metropolis, and scientific basis for their potential transmission to humanpopulation. A total of 184 diarrhoeic faecal samples from cattle were collected from September 2014 to June 2015 in Minna,Niger state and processed using the direct faecal microscopic examination techniques. The obtained results showed that a total of 81 (44%) samples were positive including Ascaris sp, Fasciola gigantica, Trichuris sp. and Taenia sp. with infection rates of 22.3%, 12%, 2.2% and 0.5% respectively, and mixed infections of Fasciola gigantic with Ascaris sp. (4.3%) , and Ascaris sp. with Trichuris sp. (2.7%). Poor human hygiene, inadequate livestock husbandry managements and restriction of animals to residential areas are the major factors responsible for the high prevalence of zoonotic helminths and geo-helminths in the study area. Therefore veterinarians, animal handlers and livestock owners should practice personal hygienic and safe management practices for animal rearing and treatments.

Four-week-old chickens were inoculated orally with 1,000 or 100,000 oocysts of the ME-49 or GT-1 strain of Toxoplasma gondii, and their antibody responses were measured, using the direct modified agglutination test, latex agglutination test, indirect hemagglutination test, ELISA, and the Sabin-Feldman dye test. Antibodies against T gondii were detected by use of the modified agglutination test and ELISA within 2 weeks of oocyst inoculation, and antibodies persisted until termination of the study by postinoculation day 68. The latex agglutination test was insensitive in detecting T gondii antibodies, and antibodies were not detected by use of the dye and indirect hemagglutination tests. Of tissues bioassayed in mice for tissue cysts by pepsin digestion of individual organs of chickens on postinoculation day 68, tissue cysts were found in the brain of all 5, heart of 3, and leg muscles of 2, but not in the liver and breast muscles. None of the birds developed clinical toxoplasmosis.

OBJECTIVE To determine the extent of environmental exposure to heteroxenous coccidia from wild canid feces in southeastern Ohio. SAMPLE 285 presumed wild canid fecal samples collected across an ecological system in southeastern Ohio. PROCEDURES Morphological classification and molecular analysis were used to determine the canid genus for collected fecal samples. Microscopic and molecular analysis were used to detect coccidian oocysts and DNA. Several variables were analyzed for associations with coccidian DNA detection or prevalence. RESULTS Coccidian DNA was detected in 51 of 285 (17.9%) fecal samples. Of those positive samples, 1% (95% confidence interval, 0.4% to 3%) had positive results for Hammondia heydorni and none had positive results for Neospora caninum, for an estimated environmental N caninum prevalence of 0% (95% confidence interval, 0% to 7%)/1-km2 hexagonal area evaluated. Morphological classification revealed that 78.9% (225/285) of fecal samples were from coyotes and 17.2% (49/285) were from foxes. No difference in proportions of coccidian DNA-positive fecal samples was identified among canid species. Environmental temperature and fecal freshness were associated with coccidian DNA detection. Land use type, relative canid density, and cattle density were not associated with the prevalence of coccidian DNA-positive samples. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The low prevalence of coccidia shed in wild canid feces in this study, including the estimated 0% environmental prevalence of N caninum, suggested that the role of the oocyst environmental phase in coccidia transmission to ruminants is likely minor in rural southeastern Ohio.

A study was carried out to detect and identify the presence of coccidia oocysts in the faeces of village chicken from the district of Pasir Putih, Kelantan, West Malaysia. A total of 135 fecal samples were collected from 15 areas in the Pasir PutihDistrict. The faecal samples were examined by direct smear method (qualitative study). A pinch of the faeces was put onto the glassslide with 1-2 drops of normal saline and cover slip, which was then observed under the compound microscope to detect thecoccidia oocysts. The presence of coccidia oocyst was then identified by its size and shape. Results showed that ten out of 135 samples were positive for coccidia oocysts, and classified as Eimeria maxima and Eimeria mitis, both of which are from two locations at Kampung Chap Banir, Pasir Putih, Kelantan. The remaining 125 samples were observed to be negative. This may suggest that the chickens reared in the backyard (extensive)are less susceptible to the coccidia infection due to their environment with lower stocking density (mostly free ranging chicken), and no damp/wet litter as bedding which canfacilitate sporulation of the coccicia oocyst thereby spreading the infection. Further studies need to be done to elucididate other factors which may affect coccidial infections in free range chicken such as the availability of medications in feed or genetic hardiness and tolerance to field infections. The localvillage chicken industry is an up and coming facet of the poultry industry and needs concerted efforts to boost it.

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that causes toxoplasmosis in humans and animals. It belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa, subclass Coccidiasina and family Sarcocystidae. The Felidae family is thedefinitive host for this disease where the parasites undergo a sexual cycle of replication (oocysts). In this study, cat faeces were collected from private clinics around Johore Bahru, Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 61 samples were tested using microscopy to detect for presence of T. gondii oocyst via two methods; namelythe Modified Kato-Katz with Kinyoun staining and Sheather’s sugar floatation methods. The results showed that 40.98% of the faecal samples tested were positive for T. gondii oocysts. These two methodswere successfully used in diagnosing toxoplasmosis in cats in this study. Morphological approaches for Toxoplasma oocysts identification have been neglected in recent years, due to the upsurge of moreprecise technologies. This study suggests that this modified technique could be introduced for screening and detection of oocysts excreted in faeces of suspected animals of the Felidae family.