title: Molecular epidemiology of Cryptosporidium species in livestock in Ireland.
abstract: Cryptosporidium is a protozoan that can cause gastro-intestinal illness with diarrhoea in a wide range of hosts. In fact some species of Cryptosporidium can infect the broad range of hosts. The current paper is focused to investigate monthly prevalence and diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. during the spring and early summer (March-June) in 2009 and 2010 in farms with no history of cryptosporidiosis. Animal samples were analyzed to elucidate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in two regions, West and the East catchments in Ireland. Our investigation demonstrates the prevalence ranges from 14% to 26% an early summer peak (June) was observed. Based on the findings of this study Cryptosporidium ryanae (in cattle, horses), and Cryptosporidium bovis/xiaoi followed by Cryptosporidium parvum (in sheep) were found to be the predominant species in asymptomatic cases. The circulation of other Cryptosporidium species such as C. parvum, C. bovis, C. ubiquitum, C. andersoni and Cryptosporidium horse and pig genotypes in livestock was investigated.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland; Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, USA. Electronic address: Marzieh.Mirhashemi@tufts.edu.
authors.forename: Marzieh Ezzaty
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mirhashemi
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Annetta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zintl
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Population Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Institute of Technology, Sligo, Ireland.
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lucy
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mulcahy
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Waal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000235:genetics*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct / Q000662:veterinary; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006736:Horses; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; C065610:sialoglycoprotein gp60
keywords: Cryptosporidium; Ireland; Livestock; Molecular epidemiology