In this study, the prevalance of Cryptosporidium infections with modified acid fast (mAF) staining and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods was determined in calves in dairy farms in Kars region of TurkeyThis researh was carried out betweeen March-June 2011 in 22 dairy farms. Fecal samples were taken from rectum of calves in this farms. Total study material of 313 fecal samples (146 diarrheic, 167 healthy) were collected. Samples were examined by mAF. Than, 222 of these samples were analyzed by using Cryptosporidium parvum ELISA kit (Bio-X Diagnostics, Veterinary, cattle), 91 of these samples by Cryptosporidium ELISA kit (Diagnostic Automation, Inc., USA, Veterinary cattle) for coproantigens.Prevalance of Cryptopsoridium spp. were observed in 3.8% (12/313) of calves by mAF staining and 5.1% (16/313) by ELISA. All the samples which were positive by mAF staining were found to be positive by ELISA. The rate of Cryptopsoridium by mAF staining was found to be 5.5% (8/146) in diarrhoeic calves, and 2.4% (4/167) in healthy calves, The rate was 4.0% (10/253) in those up to three months olds and it was 3.3% (2/60) the group of 3-6 months.The rate of Cryptopsoridium infections by ELISA was found to be 7.5% (11/146) in diarrhoeic calves, 3.0% (5/167) in healthy calves, The rate was 5.5% (14/253) in calves which were up to three months old and it was 3.3% (2/60) in the 3-6 month group. Prevalance of C. parvum in calves was found to be 5.9% (13/222). This ratio was higher calves which were older than three months old (6.2%, 12/194) comparing to to groups of 3-6 months (3.6%, 1/28). Calves infected with C.parvumwere observed in 9 out of 13 cases in which animals were diarrhoeic and in 4 out of 13 cases in which the animals were healthy. The highest rate (7.4%, 8/108) in coproantigen testing of C.parvum were deteremined in the group of diarrhoeic calves 50which were older than three months old. Prevalance of Cryptosporidium by ELISA was found to be 3.3% (3/91) in calves.As a result, prevalance of Cryptosporidium was observed as quite low in recent years comparing prevous studies by using both the mAF staining and ELISA tests.Keywords: Cryptosporidium, Cryptosporidium parvum, Calves, Acid Fast Staining, ELISA, Prevalence, Kars, Turkey.

Çalışmada, Kars yöresinde sütçü işletmelerdeki buzağılarda Cryptosporidium enfeksiyonlarının prevalansı modifiye Asit Fast (mAF) boyama ve Enzim Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) yöntemleri ile karşılaştırmalı olarak belirlenmiştir.Araştırma Mart-Haziran 2011 doğum sezonunda 22 işletmede yürütülmüştür. Dışkı örnekleri bu işletmelerdeki buzağıların rektumlarından alınmıştır. Çalışma materyali 313 dışkı örneğinden (146'sı ishalli, 167'si sağlıklı) oluşmuştur. Her dışkı örneği önce mAF boyama yöntemi ile incelenmiş olup, bu örneklerden 222'si Cryptosporidium parvum ELISA kiti (Bio-X Diagnostics, Veterinary, cattle ), 91'i ise Cryptosporidium ELISA kiti (Diagnostic Automation, Inc., USA, Veterinary cattle ) ile Cryptosporidium koproantijenleri yönünden incelenmiştir.Buzağılarda Cryptosporidium yaygınlığı; mAF boyama yöntemi ile %3.8 (12/313), ELISA ile %5.1 (16/313) oranında bulunmuştur. mAF boyama ile Cryptosporidium ookisti görülen tüm örnekler ELISA ile de pozitif saptanmıştır. Cryptosporidium görülme oranı mAF boyama ile ishalli buzağılarda %5.5 (8/146), sağlıklılarda %2.4 (4/167), üç aylığa kadar olanlarda %4.0 (10/253), 3-6 aylıklarda ise %3.3 (2/60) olarak belirlenmiştir. Cryptosporidium görülme oranı ELISA yöntemlerine göre ise ishalli buzağılarda %7.5 (11/146); sağlıklılarda %3.0 (5/167); üç aylığa kadar olanlarda %5.5 (14/253); 3-6 aylıklarda %3.3 (2/60) olarak bulunmuştur. Cryptosporidium parvum yaygınlığı %5.9 (13/222) bulunmuş olup, bu oran üç aylıktan küçük buzağılarda (%6.2; 12/194) 3-6 aylık gruba göre (%3.6; 1/28) daha yüksek saptanmıştır. Cryptosporidium parvum saptanan 13 pozitif olgunun 9'nun ishalli, 4'nün sağlıklı olduğu gözlenmiştir. Cryptosporidium parvumkoproantijenleri en yüksek oranda (%7.4; 8/108) üç aylıktan küçük ishalli buzağılarda saptanmıştır. Cins düzeyinde Cryptosporidium etkenlerinin belirlendiği ELISA testi ile ise buzağılarda Cryptosporidium koproantijenlerinin görülme oranı %3.3 (3/91) bulunmuştur. Sonuç olarak hem mAF boyama hem de ELISA testleri ile buzağılarda Cryptosporidium prevalansının son yıllarda oldukça düştüğü gözlenmiştir.48Anahtar Kelimeler: Cryptosporidium, Cryptosporidium parvum, Buzağı, Asit Fast Boyama, ELISA, Prevalans, Kar.