ABSTRACT

Total of 144 fecal samples were obtained from diarrheic or non-diarrheic lambs aged from 1 day to 30 days on a sheep farm in the Aydın province. All samples were examined with the Heine’s carbol-fuchsin method in the laboratory. Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were found in 67 (46.5%) lambs. Cryptosporidial infection rates were significantly higher in diarrheic lambs (79.1%, 53 of 67) than in non-diarrheic lambs (18.2%, 14 of 77). Statistical analysis showed that infection rates were significantly higher in lambs aged between 1 and 15 days (89.6%, 60 of 67) than in those between 15–30 days of age (10.4%, 7 of 67). Both diarrhea and Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were found in 53 lambs. Diarrhea along with the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts was more frequent (p<0.001) in lambs under 15 days of age (96.2%, 51 of 53) than in those aged between 15 and 30 days (3.8%, 2 of 53). The presence of Cryptosporidium spp. in lambs on a sheep farm in Aydın region indicates that this protozoon should also be considered in the etiology of lambs with neonatal diarrhea.