Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with calves’ cryptosporidiosis in Egypt

Cryptosporidiosis is a common worldwide cause of diarrhea in livestock. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of cryptosporidiosis in calves, identify the related risk factors and determine certain serum biochemical parameters. A clinical examination was conducted on a total of 184 diarrheic and apparently healthy calves located in 3 Egyptian governorates, followed by the collection of blood and faecal samples. The Cp23 protein-coding gene was cloned into the pGEX-4T-1 vector followed by transfection and expression.The obtained purified protein was used to develop an ELISA for serodiagnosis. Serum protein and electrolyte profiles were measured. A structured questionnaire was used for risk factor assessment. The most prominent sign was watery or soft diarrhea although some animals were normal. Successful recombination, protein expression and characterization were confirmed by Western blotting. The infection rate was 26.1 ± 6.4% (19.7–32.4%) and 56.5 ± 7.16% (49.3–63.7%) by mZN and rCp23-ELISA, respectively. The relevant risk factors revealed that age, gender, housing type, bedding type, and faecal consistency were the most significant related risk factors. The biochemical analyses showed the presence of hyponatremia, hypokalemia, and hypochloremia in the infected calves with elevation in total proteins and globulins levels. Finally, the current study clarifiedthe high prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in the diarrheic and non-diarrheic calves that should be controlled through establishing multiple structured surveys in variant areas of the country. Preventive measures via dam vaccination, optimum colostrum intake, prophylactic treatment of the newly born calves, and good management of the farming system become mandatory.