title: Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium in Brazilian sheep.
abstract: Feces were collected from 125 sheep between January and December 2007, on ten farms in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium. Ninety samples were collected from lambs 2 to 6 months of age, and 35 were from sheep over 12 months of age. All samples were subjected to molecular analysis by polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) in two steps of the SSU rRNA. Two samples (1.6%) from the lambs were positive, and after sequencing were identified as Cryptosporidium ubiquitum. This species has been reported worldwide and it is considered a zoonotic pathogen since it has been found and in several animal species and humans. However, because of the low frequency of C. ubiquitum found, the risk for public health in this region may not be high.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Sanidade Animal, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28013-023, Brazil. fiuza@uenf.br
authors.forename: Vagner Ricardo da Silva
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Fiuza
authors.forename: Rachel Ingrid Juliboni
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Cosendey
authors.forename: Edwards
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frazão-Teixeira
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santín
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fayer
authors.forename: Francisco Carlos Rodrigues
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001938:Brazil; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal