Prevalence and risk factors associated with faecal shedding of cryptosporidium oocysts in piglets, Kaduna, Nigeria

Abstract

Cryptosporidiosis is predominant in piglets and other young farm animals and the infection can be severe resulting in financial loss to producers. Faecal samples from one hundred and thirty-two piglets were examined for Cryptosporidiumoocysts using formol-ether concentration method and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 18(13.6%) of the faecal samples and the prevalence were higher among males (20.0%) than females (5.3%), younger (19.0%) than older (8.7%) piglets, piglets raised under intensive (16.7%) than from under semi-intensive/extensive systems (0%), piglets with loose faeces (28.6%) than from well formed faeces(10.8%) and piglets that drank bore hole water (13.8%) than from those that drank well water (13.3%). There were associations between prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and sex of piglets (OR = 0.22; 95% CI on OR: 0.05 0.05). This study shows that sex, faecal consistencies and management systems influence the prevalence ofCryptosporidium oocysts in faeces of piglets in Kaduna metropolis.   Key words: Cryptosporidium, piglets, faeces.