Cryptosporidium parvum is an emerging waterborne zoonotic disease prevalent
throughout the world. There are different strains of cryptosporidium but most important is
C.parvum.It is intestinal protozoon belongs to coccidian family that causes damage to intestinal
epithelium that leads to villous atrophy so decrease absorption sites from intestine. It is not host
specific it can equally infect humans, calves and foals. It is cross transmissible among mammals.
In horses, cryptosporidiosis is most commonly seen in foals (most frequently 1–4 weeks of age)
and is associated with diarrhea and weight loss. Immuno-compromised foals (including foals
with severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome) are particularly at risk. The present study
was conducted in different studs farms in and around Lahore keeping in view the importance of
C.parvum in foals because it is gaining attention as a most important cause of diarrhea in foals so
that effective therapeutic measures should be adopted to control infection. There are 323 samples
are collected among different stud farms and veterinary hospitals and analyzed by using fecal
floatation method and modified Ziehl-neelsen technique. Infection rate of C. parvum in foals in
this study recorded was (12.30%) from different stud farms and veterinary hospitals. Infection
rate (27%) is higher in foals of age group range between 1day to 3 months while the least
infection rate (2.46%) was observed in 9-12 months age group. Infection rate is reciprocal to age
as the age increase infection rate decrease. Infection rate is independent of sex. There is no
relationship between sex and infection rate. Diarrhea is an important risk factor related to
infection rate. In diarrheic foals infection rate is (22.5%) while in case of non-diarrheic foal’s
infection rate is (6.5%) which showed that infection rate in diarrheic foals is three time more as
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Compared to non-diarrheic foals. A significantly higher infection rate was observed in those
foals having contact with other animals like rodents, ruminants and dogs. Infection rate (15%)
was observed in those foals having contact with other animals and infection rate (6.5%) observed
in foals having no contact with other animals. Purpose seems to very important in this study.
Game horses have more infection rate which was (15.45%) as compared to draught horses
(4.4%). Game horses have three times more infection as compared to draught horses because
game horses remain in close confinement and foals have more prone to infection. Management is
an important factor infection rate was more in those stud farms having poor management as
compared to those have good management. Infection rate is poorly manage farms was (20.97%)
and (5.5%) in properly manage farms. The results of the comparative efficacy of nitazoxanide,
furazolidone and garlic showed that the Nitazoxanide was the most effective of the three in
treating cryptosporidium infection under field conditions. Efficacy of Nitazoxanide in treating
C.parvum in foals was (88%) during the study followed by furazolidone which have comparative
efficacy of (77%) than garlic with the efficacy of (70%).
In conclusion from above discussion reveals that C. parvum is prevalent in stud
farms in and around Lahore. Associated risk for C. parvum in foals are age less than 6 months,
immune-deficiency, contact with other animals like ruminants and poor management. Infection
rate is more in game horses as compared to draught horses because game horses are manage in
close confinement so the chances of infection are more. Treatment of C.parvum has long course
and effective drug for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis in foals is Nitaoxanide than
furazolidone.