Molecular diagnostics of Cryptosporidium representatives in industrial pig industry in the Vologda region North-Western federal district of the Russian Federation

Abstract

Cryptosporidiosis is a widespread parasitic disease of many species of domestic and wild animals, as well as humans, which is a significant problem in the field of medicine and veterinary medicine. Farm animals, in particular piglets, are most often susceptible to this disease, but the species composition of representatives of the genus Cryptosporidium in this species of animals in the Russian Federation has remained unknown to date. For the first time in the Russian Federation, in the conditions of the north-west, on the example of the Vologda region in pig farms with industrial technology for keeping piglets using the latest molecular genetic techniques, namely, using high-throughput sequencing of amplicon libraries of fragments of the 18S rRNA gene obtained as a result of nested PCR, we have established parasitism of C. scrofarum in all age groups of the animals examined. The total invasion of livestock in pig farms was 34% (51/150). Pine piglets were invaded by Cryptosporidium in 40% of cases (12/30), the intensity of Cryptosporidium infection was predominantly strong (+ + +), occurred in 20% (6/30) of cases. The mean (+ +) and weak (+) degree of animal invasion also occurred in 3% (10/30) of cases each. In the age group of weaning piglets at the age of 1-3 months, Cryptosporidium infection was 33.3% (10/30), a strong (+ + +) degree of oocyst production dominated, it was 26.7% (8/30) versus 10% (3/30) of the average (+ +) and 3.3% (1/30) weak (+). The most invasive oocysts are Cryptosporidium of fattening piglets at the age of 4-6 months, the extensinvasion of this group was 60% (18/30). The degree of oocyst release was predominantly moderate (+ +) – 26.7% (8/30) and strong – 23.3% (7/30). In 13.3% (4/30) of cases, there was a weak (+) degree of Cryptosporidium infection . Animals older than 6 months were infected with Cryptosporidium in 20% (6/30) of cases. They also recorded an average (+ +) – 13.3% (4/30) and a strong (+ + +) – 6.7% (2/30) degree of invasion, weak (+) invasion in this age group was not detected. Sows have also been invaded by Cryptosporidium. Their infection rate was 16.7% (5/30), and the degree of cryptosporidiosis was weak (+).