Background: Cryptosporidium, a coccidian parasite, is the causative agent of watery diarrhea in humans and animals. The disease is mostly self-limiting in immunocompetent individuals, yet severe infection can occur in children and immunocompromised patients. The parasite is mostly transmitted to humans by water, yet it can also be transmitted by soil.Objectives: The present study aimed to determine soil contamination rate of parks of Isfahan, Iran, with Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 140 soil samples from 28 public parks of 14 regions of Isfahan (central Iran) were collected during summer 2014. The soil samples were concentrated using the sucrose floatation technique, which was followed by preparation of microscopic slides. The slides were stained by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining method and were examined microscopically for presence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts using 100X oil immersion objective.Results: Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were observed in 31 out of 140 soil samples (22.14%). Also, all 14 regions (100%) and 17 out of 28 public parks (60.71%) were contaminated with Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts.Conclusions: Despite the climate temperature of Isfahan city, the soli of parks were highly contaminated with Cryptosporidium spp.

Background and Objectives: Cryptosporidium parvum is a coccidian protozoan that causes diarrhea in immunocompromised humans and newborn animals. The severity of the disease depends on the immunological status of the affected. Cryptosporiosis can have lethal effects on immunocompromised individuals such as AIDS patients. About 10% of AIDS patients die following an infection withC. parvum. Since there is no efficient treatment for cryptosporidiosis, there is an urgent need to search for more effective and safer alternatives.IgY is an avian immunoglobulin found in egg yolks. Due to its several advantages, IgY technology has been successfully used in biomedical research on humans and animals in the recent years. In this study, the specific chicken egg yolk antibody (IgY) againstC. parvum whole oocyst antigens was produced and examined.Methods: The effect of specific chicken egg yolk antibody (IgY) against whole oocyst antigens was examined. IgY sample was obtained from eggs of chickens immunized withC.parvumwhole oocyst antigens and analyzed with lysate of C. parvum oocysts by dot blot assay.Results: The IgY was produced with concentration of 9.7 mg/ml. This antibody was able to recognize the whole oocyst antigens until the dilution of 1: 1000, but the best dilution for other immunoassays was 1: 500.Conclusion: Since chicken egg yolk is a cheap and convenient source for mass production of specific antibodies, the use of IgY against whole oocyst antigens could be considered a suitable candidate for passive immunization against cryptosporidiosis in humans and animals.

Faecal samples from 291 dairy calves from 10 dairy herds in Kerman were examined to investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection. Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were identified by using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique in 63 (21.65%) calves. Calves were grouped according to their age as follows: <3 months, 3–6 months and 6–9 months. Cryptosporidium infection was detected in 28.2, 20.6 and 15.09%, of the calves in the respective age groups. A significant age-associated decrease in the detection rate of Cryptosporidium infection (P<0.05) was found. Cryptosporidium infection was detected in 11 of the 30 (36.66%) diarrhoeic and 52 of the 261 (19.92%) non-diarrhoeic calves. There was a significantly (P<0.05) higher prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in diarrhoeic than in non-diarrhoeic calves.