Prevalence of cryptosporidiosis among captive wild animals and birds in the arid region of north-eastern Nigeria

The prevalence of cryptosporidial infection among captive wild animals and birds in Sanda Kyarimi Park, Maiduguri, north-eastern Nigeria, was evaluated by faecal examination for oocysts using three different staining techniques: the modified Ziehl-Neelsen, Giemsa, and Safranin-methylene blue. A total of 66 captive wild animals and birds were examined based on age and sex differences. Fifteen (22.7%) of the animals examined were young and 51 (77.3%) were adults; 36 (54.5%) were males and 30 (45.5%) were females. Age and sex were found to have no significant effect on the prevalence of infection among the different age and sex groups. A total of 15 (22.7%) positive samples were recorded using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain, while Giemsa and Safranin-methylene blue stains recorded 12 (18.2%) and 8 (12.1%) positive cases, respectively. Captive wild animals and birds could play an important role in the epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis as a zoonotic infection.