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Acta Parasitologica, Vol.44, No. 4, 1999, 211-214
Majewska Anna C. (1), Kasprzak Witold (1), Werner Anna (1), Kozakiewicz Bronislaw (2) - Investigations on cryptosporidiosis in humans and livestock from the same localities.

(1) Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences, Fredry 10, 61-701 Poznan, tel/fax (061) 8527192, e-mail: acmaj@eucalyptus.usoms.pl; (2) Institute of Veterinary Hygiene, Grunwaldzka 250, 60-166 Poznan; Poland
ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to screen humans and farm animals from the same localities for Cryptosporidium infections. Coprological examinations using Ziehl-Neelsen staining and enzyme immunoassay included 68 faecal specimens from calves, 16 from pigs, 86 from humans (76 from children, 4 from farmers, 6 from laboratory workers) and 4 samples of pigsty litter. Cryptosporidium infections were found in 60 calves and 1 piglet. Morphometric characteristics of the oocysts revealed that most infections were caused by C. parvum while only 2 calves were infected with C. muris . C. parvum oocysts were found in litter materials on two small privately-owned farms. The results of the study showed that despite the possible high level of exposure to C. parvum oocysts excreted by infected calves bred in the co-operative farm no children from the same locality were infected. The children were also free of other intestinal protozoa. Similar results were obtained in the study performed on two small privately-owned farms. Although one piglet was infected with C. parvum on one of the farms and oocysts were found in litter materials on both farms, no farmers were infected.


KEY WORDS: Cryptosporidium parvum, C. muris, livestock, man, protozoa, epidemiology
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