Toxoplasma gondii oocysts are environmentally resistant and can infect virtually all warm-blooded hosts, including humans and livestock. Little is known about the biochemical basis for this resistance of oocysts, and mechanism for excystation of T. gondii sporozoites. The objective of the present study was to evaluate different methods (mechanical fragmentation, gradients, flow cytometry) to se...

Abstract: Coccidiosis is one of the major parasitic diseases of poultry. In this study, to compare the effects of coccidiostatic drugs on fecal oocyst shedding and body weight gain of coccidi-infected broiler chickens, 180 one day old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four treatments. Each treatment contained 3 replicates of 15 chickens. Treatments 1 and 2 were fed diets supplem...

Neospora caninum has emerged as a major cause of abortion in cattle in many countries. This paper reviews recent advances in the life cycle and biology of Neospora with the emphasis on bovine neosporosis. The role of the recently discovered oocyst stage of N. caninum in the epidemiology of neosporosis is discussed. Progress made in serologic diagnosis of N. caninum infection is discussed. There...

Three hundred stool samples for routine ova and parasite examination were examined as saline and iodine wet preparations, the results were then compared with the Zeihl-Neelsen-modified Acid Fast staining (MAFS), as the oocysts are acid fast in character. Examination with saline preparation was unable to detect any oocyst, while iodine preparation yielded three oocyst and stained smears with MAF...

This paper summarizes the conclusions of two recently completed projects that examined the occurrence of the protozoan pathogen Cryptosporidium in wastewater streams, and the efficacy of ultraviolet (UV) light for treatment of wastewaters to control Cryptosporidium. A 15-month survey of Cryptosporidium oocyst occurrence was conducted at ten US wastewater treatment plants. Cryptosporidium oocyst...

This correspondence describes the successful development of methods for the recovery, isolation and detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts in wastewater and biosolids. Wastewater from one plant was used to optimize methods in raw influent as well as primary, secondary and tertiary effluents. Raw influents and primary effluents were concentrated using centrifugation followed by isolation of Crypto...

During June 1996, water supplies of the city of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, were sampled to obtain an assessment of Cryptosporidium oocyst and Giardia cyst concentrations. Each sample was concentrated and stained with an indirect immunofluorescent antibody, and parasites were counted through microscopic analysis. In three surface water supplies, Cryptosporidium oocyst concentrations ranged from 5...

Recent reports highlighting the global significance of cryptosporidiosis among children, have renewed efforts to develop control measures. We have optimized the gnotobiotic piglet model of acute diarrhea to evaluate azithromycin (AZR), nitazoxanide (NTZ), or treatment with both against Cryptosporidium hominis, the species responsible for most human cases. Piglets, animals reproducibly clinicall...

The oocyst wall of coccidian parasites is a robust structure that is resistant to a variety of environmental and chemical insults. This resilience allows oocysts to survive for long periods, facilitating transmission from host to host. The wall is bilayered and is formed by the sequential release of the contents of two specialized organelles - wall forming body 1 and wall forming body 2 - found...