Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in Sheep from Central Anatolia: First Report of Cryptosporidium bovis in Ovine Hosts in Türkiye

Background

Cryptosporidium spp. are obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasites causing gastroenteritis and diarrhea in many vertebrates, including small ruminants. This study aimed to determine the occurrence and perform molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in healthy Akkaraman sheep across three provinces (Nevşehir, Sivas, and Kayseri) in the Central Anatolia Region of Türkiye.

Methods

Fresh fecal samples were collected from 300 healthy Akkaraman sheep (100 per province) randomly selected from various small-scale farms. Following gDNA extraction, the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. was determined via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To identify specific species, sequence analysis of the 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene was performed.

Results

The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in sheep was 6.0% (18/300). Positivity differed significantly across age groups (p < 0.0001), but no significant difference was observed between genders (p = 0.548). Sequence analysis identified three Cryptosporidium species: C. parvum (2.3%; 7/300), C. bovis (2.3%; 7/300), and C. xiaoi (1.3%; 4/300). These sequences were registered in GenBank (Accession numbers: MZ027074-MZ027078). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that our isolates clustered within the same clades as reference sequences reported from different hosts and geographic regions.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of sheep infected with C. bovis in Türkiye. The findings provide detailed insights into the molecular epidemiology of ovine cryptosporidiosis in the region and highlight the critical importance of controlling Cryptosporidium infections in sheep due to their potential public health relevance.