CRYPTOSPORIDUM IN SHEEP AS A SOURCE FOR HUMAN INFECTION

Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite that infects epithelial cells of the intestine in a wide variety of vertebrates. During the last decade, cryptosporidiosis has emerged as a cause of diarrhea in man. Most of the' patients have AIDS, and have had contact with infected animals. In this study ' 510 samples were collected from sheep and examined for detection of this parasite. The result showed that 26.X6% of animals were colonised. Fattened sheep were less infected than lambs and those kept for milk.