<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p><italic>Cryptosporidium</italic> spp. and helminths are responsible for diarrhoal illness in humans and many other animals. The transmission routes of these parasites suggest a risk for human infection through contaminated foods. In order to determine the occurrence of <italic>Cryptosporidium</italic> oocysts and helminth ova on dried crayfish (<italic>Procambarus clarkii</italic>) sold in Zaria and Kaduna Central market, Kaduna State, 100 crayfish samples were examined using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique for <italic>Cryptosporidium</italic> oocyst and the flotation technique for helminth ova. The measurements of the oocysts from the positive samples were estimated by using a calibrated microscope eyepiece. The prevalence of <italic>Cryptosporidium</italic> oocysts in dried crayfish was 20.0 % while the location-based prevalence was 43.3 %, 5.0 %, and 12.0 % for Sabo, Samaru and Kaduna central market, respectively. Micrometry revealed that the oocysts size ranged from 3.68 µm to 4.7 µm. Also, the prevalence of helminth ova in dried crayfish was 19 %, while the specific prevalence based on location showed a higher prevalence in Sabo (30.0 %) than in Kaduna central market (18.0 %) and Samaru (5.0 %). The helminth eggs recovered from this study included: <italic>Toxocara</italic> spp. (4.0 %), <italic>Ascaris</italic> spp. (7.0 %), <italic>Trichuris</italic> spp. (4.0 %), <italic>Schistosoma</italic> spp. (2.0 %), <italic>Ancylostoma</italic> spp. (1.0 %), and <italic>Capillaria</italic> spp. (1.0 %). The analysis of the questionnaires revealed that 71 (71.0 %) of the respondents ate uncooked cray-fish and 44.0 % used their bare hands to handle the cray-fish. There was no statistically significant association (P > 0.05) between the prevalence of <italic>Cryptosporidium</italic> oocysts or helminth ova and the locations sampled. This study has shown that dried crayfish obtained from markets within the study area were contaminated with parasite ova and oocysts, thus public enlightenment on the dangers of the consumption of raw or undercooked dried crayfish should be well publicized.</p>
</abstract>

Cryptosporidium spp. and helminths are responsible for diarrhoal illness in humans and many other animals. The transmission routes of these parasites suggest a risk for human infection through contaminated foods. In order to determine the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and helminth ova on dried crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) sold in Zaria and Kaduna Central market, Kaduna State, 100 crayfish samples were examined using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique for Cryptosporidium oocyst and the flotation technique for helminth ova. The measurements of the oocysts from the positive samples were estimated by using a calibrated microscope eyepiece. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in dried crayfish was 20.0 % while the location-based prevalence was 43.3 %, 5.0 %, and 12.0 % for Sabo, Samaru and Kaduna central market, respectively. Micrometry revealed that the oocysts size ranged from 3.68 µm to 4.7 µm. Also, the prevalence of helminth ova in dried crayfish was 19 %, while the specific prevalence based on location showed a higher prevalence in Sabo (30.0 %) than in Kaduna central market (18.0 %) and Samaru (5.0 %). The helminth eggs recovered from this study included: Toxocara spp. (4.0 %), Ascaris spp. (7.0 %), Trichuris spp. (4.0 %), Schistosoma spp. (2.0 %), Ancylostoma spp. (1.0 %), and Capillaria spp. (1.0 %). The analysis of the questionnaires revealed that 71 (71.0 %) of the respondents ate uncooked cray-fish and 44.0 % used their bare hands to handle the cray-fish. There was no statistically significant association (P > 0.05) between the prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts or helminth ova and the locations sampled. This study has shown that dried crayfish obtained from markets within the study area were contaminated with parasite ova and oocysts, thus public enlightenment on the dangers of the consumption of raw or undercooked dried crayfish should be well publicized.

Occurrence of <italic>Cryptosporidium</italic> Oocysts and Helminth Ova on Dried Crayfish (<italic>Procambarus clarkii</italic>) Sold in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Folia Veterinaria

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Occurrence of  Oocysts and Helminth Ova on Dried Crayfish () Sold in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Cryptosporidium spp. and helminths are responsible for diarrhoal illness in humans and many other animals. The transmission routes of these parasites suggest a...

Occurrence of Cryptosporidium Oocysts and Helminth Ova on Dried Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) Sold in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Published Online: Apr 06, 2021

Page range: 29 - 36

Received: Sep 21, 2020

Accepted: Dec 16, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fv-2021-0004

Keywords
crayfish, helminth ova, oocysts, Ziehl-Neelsen

© 2021 D. O. Esonu et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Occurrence of Cryptosporidium Oocysts and Helminth Ova on Dried Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) Sold in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Published Online: Apr 06, 2021

Page range: 29 - 36

Received: Sep 21, 2020

Accepted: Dec 16, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fv-2021-0004

Keywordscrayfish, helminth ova, oocysts, Ziehl-Neelsen

© 2021 D. O. Esonu et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
crayfish, helminth ova, oocysts, Ziehl-Neelsen