Prevalence and Risk Factors of Cryptosporidiosis in Cattle in Lashkargah City, Helmand Province of Afghanistan

Cryptosporidiosis is a parasitic zoonotic disease that affects humans and animals and is caused by the protozoa Cryptosporidium spp. This was a descriptive study to determine the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and its associated risk factors in cattle in Lashkargah City, Helmand province of Afghanistan. One hundred and fifty-seven cattle were selected randomly from the 37 areas of 8 districts of Lashkargah. To confirm the presence of Cryptosporidium spp., a modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique was applied to visualize the oocysts of the protozoa in fecal samples. A pre-designed questionnaire was used to collect additional information regarding demographic, hygienic conditions, and water sources of the animal and human population in the area. From the 157 studied cattle, the oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in 3 samples (1.9%). At the same time, 56.1% of the studied villages were near the running water, and in 4.5% of cases, animal waste materials or residues ended up in the water sources. In brief, considering the husbandry practices, farm hygienic conditions, and water sources in the study area, there is a very likely higher prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Helmand province. High-scale province-wide researches are required to determine the incidence and prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in animal and human populations.