Cryptosporidiosis: Its Importance and Diagnostic Techniques in Farm Animals

Cryptosporidiosis is an intracellular protozoan disease caused by parasites of the genus Cryptosporidium (family Cryptosporidiidae, order Eucoccidiorida, subclass Coccidiasina, class Sporozoasida and phylum Apicomplexa). Amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals serve as hosts for species of Cryptosporidium [18]. The genus Cryptosporidium was first described in 1912 in the small intestine of mice, but only in 1971 was it associated with an outbreak of bovine diarrhea [1]. The agent has zoonotic importance and a worldwide distribution which may cause diarrhea in neonatal animals including calves, lambs, kids, foals, piglets and other neonates [14].