Molecular identification of Cryptosporidium parvum in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Nigeria

Rabbits are commonly reared by households and farmers in Nigeria as a source of meat, but there is no information available on Cryptosporidium genotypes occurring in rabbits in Nigeria. Fecal samples were collected from 107 rabbits and examined by modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts. An infection rate of 3.7% (4/107) was obtained and all microscopy-positive samples were genotyped and subtyped to determine the circulating Cryptosporidium species using sequence analysis of the 18S rRNA gene and 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene, respectively. All the four microscopy-positive samples were identified as C. parvum by 18S rRNA gene. However, analysis of the gp60 gene revealed the presence of C. parvum subtype IIc, which is commonly found in humans in two isolates. These findings indicate natural infection of rabbits with C. parvum and underscore the need to investigate the probable role of animal hosts in the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium infection. This is the first report on genetic characterization of Cryptosporidium infecting rabbits in Nigeria.