ABSTRACT
@#This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and associated potential risk factors in farmed animals from different steppe and high plateau regions in Algeria. A total of 289, 254 and 149 faecal samples of cattle, sheep and dromedary camels respectively, and tracheas of 135 broiler chickens were screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. by formalin-ether concentration method and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Overall, Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in 36.7%, 15%, 8.9% and 2% of examined cattle, sheep, broiler chickens and dromedary camels. In cattle, the highest prevalence was observed in the neonatal calves (52.6%) and the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. was significantly associated with diarrhoea. Ovine cryptosporidiosis was found in more of 80% of sampled farms and lambs aged between 1-6 months (20.3%), followed by neonatal lambs (18.7%) were the most infected. Cryptosporidium excretion in sheep was not associated with presence of diarrhoea. The presence of cryptosporidia in broiler chickens showed a higher rate in birds aged of 16-24 days (30%) than in those of 35-44 days (3.5%). None of broiler chickens more than 44 days was found to be positive for Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium in dromedary camels was reported in three females aged more than 6 months, which did not show any signs of diarrhoea at the time of sampling. Cryptosporidium prevalence was not affected by sex in all studied animal species. The results of the present study provide the first data on the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in dromedary camels and broiler chickens from steppe and high plateau regions in Algeria.