title: Prevalence and genetic characterization of Cryptosporidium species and Giardia duodenalis in lambs in Oromia Special Zone, Central Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cryptosporidium and Giardia duodenalis are gastro-intestinal parasites that infect human and animals worldwide. Both parasites share a broad host range and are believed to be zoonosis. The aim of this study was to identify the species of Cryptosporidium and assemblages of G. duodenalis in lambs and to elucidate their role in zoonotic transmission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 389 fecal samples were collected from lambs and screened by microscopy and nested PCR targeting the small-subunit ribosomal RNA for Cryptosporidium; and the small-subunit ribosomal RNA, triose phosphate isomerase, β-giardin, and glutamate dehydrogenase genes for G. duodenalis. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium and G. duodenalis was 2.1% (8/389) and 2.6% (10/389), respectively. The infection rate at the three study sites ranged from 1.3 to 3.1% for Cryptosporidium and 1.6 to 3.9% for G. duodenalis; but variation was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The finding also showed that there is no sex and age group associated difference in the occurrence of Cryptosporidium and G. duodenalis infections in lambs. Sequence analysis revealed that lambs were mono-infection with C. ubiquitum and G. duodenalis assemblage E. The analysis also indicated the presence of genetic variation within isolates of assemblage E; with 4 of them are novel genotypes at the small-subunit ribosomal RNA, β-giardin, and glutamate dehydrogenase genes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the current study showed that lambs are capable of harboring C. ubiquitum and G. duodenalis assemblage E. This finding suggests that lambs might be sources for potentially zoonotic Cryptosporidium species. This was first molecular study in lambs and contributes to a better understanding of the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium and G. duodenalis in central Ethiopia.
authors.affiliation: Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. tekluweg2007@yahoo.com.|College of Natural Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia. tekluweg2007@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Teklu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wegayehu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.|Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, 1706, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Md Robiul
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors.forename: Junqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Haileeyesus
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adamu
authors.affiliation: Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Berhanu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erko
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors.forename: Longxian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Getachew
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tilahun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000235:genetics*; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000235:genetics*; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*
keywords: Cryptosporidium; Ethiopia; Giardia duodenalis; Lamb; Zoonotic transmission