Cryptosporidium species screening using Kinyoun technique in domestic cats with diarrhea
Francesca de Oliveira Lemos1, Nádia Pereira Almosny, Ana Maria Barros Soares
1Department of Veterinary Medicine and Pathology, Veterinary College, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil. fran.lemos@yahoo.com.br
Abstract:
Cryptosporidium is a coccidian that can lead to diarrhea, especially in immunosuppressed individuals. Retroviruses are considered a primary cause of immunosuppression in cats. Fecal specimens and blood collected from the 60 cats were evaluated for the presence of acid-fast cryptosporidia in three consecutive stool samples and for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibody by ELISA testing. Five animals (8.33%) shedding oocysts were found, one was both FIV- and FeLV-negative and four were FeLV-positive.
