Prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum in sheep in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

O. A. Akinkuotu; B. O.  Fagbemi; E. B.  Jacobs; S. O.  Oseni; J.  Adeyanj

doi:10.51791/njap.v41i2.806

Authors

O. A. Akinkuotu Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria
B. O. Fagbemi University of Ibadan, Nigeria
E. B. Jacobs Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
S. O. Oseni University of Ibadan, Nigeria
J. Adeyanj Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51791/njap.v41i2.806

Keywords:

Cryptosporidium parvum, sheep, faeces, Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum infection in sheep was determined in Abeokuta, Ogun state, Nigeria. Faeces from randomly selected sheep were analyzed using the Enzymelinked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Cryptosporidium parvum antigens were detected in stools of 174 sheep by the use of a commercial ELISA kit. A total of 28.7% of the stools were positive for the antigens. The infection rates decreased with age, the pre-weaned lambs (51.1%) having a significantly higher (p<0.05) in males (42.9%) and sheep with diarrhoeic stools (41.8%) than in females (17.5%) and sheep with formed stools (17.9%) respectively. This study therefore reveals that the prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum infection is high in sheep reared in Abeokuta and may serve as a reservoir for human infections.