title: Common occurrence of zoonotic pathogen Cryptosporidium meleagridis in broiler chickens and turkeys in Algeria.
abstract: Only a small number of birds have been identified by molecular techniques as having Cryptosporidium meleagridis, the third most important species for human cryptosporidiosis. In this study, using PCR-RFLP analysis of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene, we examined the ileum of 90 dead chickens from 23 farms and 57 dead turkeys from 16 farms in Algeria for Cryptosporidium spp. C. meleagridis-positive specimens were subtyped by sequence analysis of the 60 kDa glycoprotein gene. Cryptosporidium infection rates were 34% and 44% in chickens and turkeys, respectively, with all positive turkeys (25) and most positive chickens (26/31) having C. meleagridis. All C. meleagridis specimens belonged to a new subtype family. The frequent occurrence of C. meleagridis in chickens and turkeys illustrates the potential for zoonotic transmission of cryptosporidiosis in Algeria.
authors.affiliation: École Nationale Supérieure Vétérinaire, BP 161, El-Harrach, Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Djamel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baroudi
authors.forename: Djamel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khelef
authors.forename: Rachid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goucem
authors.forename: Karim T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Adjou
authors.forename: Haileeyesus
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adamu
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000462:Algeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000469:parasitology; D033661:Oocysts; D010802:Phylogeny; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014422:Turkeys; D015047:Zoonoses
keywords: Algeria; C. meleagridis; Chickens; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium; Diagnosis; GP60; Genotyping; Turkeys