LUCRĂRI ŞTIINłIFICE MEDICINĂ VETERINARĂ VOL. XLIII (1), 2010 TIMIŞOARA 7 PREVALENCE OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SPP. IN ASYMPTOMATIC DOGS BY ELISA AND RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH INFECTION ADRIANA TITILINCU, VIORICA MIRCEAN, D. ACHELARITEI, V. COZMA University of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases 3-5 Manastur Street, code 400372, Cluj Napoca, Cluj, Romania E-mail: titilincua@yahoo.com Summary Stool samples from 374 dogs were collected once during a period of 2 years (2008- 2009). The age of dogs varied from one month to 16 years. Samples were examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. antigens by ELISA using a commercial kit (Cryptosporidium Microwell ELISA antigen detection in animal feces, SafePath Laboratories USA). The prevalence of infection with Cryptosporidium spp. in dogs by ELISA was 52.7% (197/374). Risk factors identified by logistic regression model were young age, rural area, living conditions and infection with protozoan parasites. A high prevalence was noticed in shepherd dogs (88%, 22/25), police dogs (72.7%; 8/11) and household dogs from rural area (66.3%; 65/98).There were no significant difference between females and males (p=0.5). Infection with helminthes had no influence on infection with Cryptosporidium spp. in dogs. Key words: Cryptosporidium spp., ELISA, dogs, risk factors Cryptosporidium is zoonotic agent which frequently infecting humans as well as domestic and wild animals. It is a waterborne parasite, transmitted via fecal contamination. Human beings may be infected with human, canine and bovine Cryptosporidium (1). It is now recognised that Cryptosporidium species differ principally in their host range. Some species appear to be restricted to particular species or types of hosts (Cryptosporidium baileyi in birds; Cryptosporidium canis in dogs; Cryptosporidium cati in cats), whereas others have broad host ranges, including humans (Cryptosporidium parvum), and are therefore of zoonotic significance (14). In addition to C. parvum, several other species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium have occasionally been recorded in humans including C. canis (6, 16). These infections were usually recorded in paediatric cases associated with immunosuppressive disorders, in HIV positive patients in Thailand or in cases with other factors that may predispose to lowering host resistance (6, 15, 16). The purpose of this study was to asses the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in dogs by ELISA and to evaluate the risk factors.