A total of 4338 faecal samples, 135 of sows, 3368 of pre-weaned and 835 of post-weaned piglets from eight farms in South Bohemia, Czech Republic were collected and examined for Cryptosporidium infection. No sow, but 5.7% pre-weaned and 24.1% post-weaned piglets were positive for Cryptosporidium infection. No relationship was found between diarrhoea and Cryptosporidium infection in any of the different age groups (pre- and post-weaned piglets). Four piglets, which were sporadically shedding cryptosporidia in faeces, were necropsied. Neither clinical signs of diarrhoea nor macroscopical changes were found. Histologically, a moderate infection of cryptosporidia was detected in the glandular epithelium along the large intestine, with predisposition to the ansa centralis of the colon. No inflammatory response in the lamina propria was observed. Cryptosporidia were also commonly found in the glandular epithelium of submucosal lymphoglandular complexes in the colon. Cryptosporidium isolates from all farms were identified as Cryptosporidium suis using molecular markers (SSU rRNA). All of the C. suis strains obtained were larger [6.2 (6.0-6.8) x 5.5 (5.3-5.7) microm] than any isolate described so far [4.6 (4.4-4.9) x 4.2 (4.0-4.3) microm] and did not appear to be infective for neonatal BALB/c mice.

ABSTRACT:In the period October 2002-September 2004 we examined 2 996 samples of faeces of piglets at the age of 2-47 days. Samples were collected as so called "composite" ones from the pen floor. Samplings were done in 8 herds in Ceske Budejovice district. One herd was kept on the slatted floor, the other herds were housed on litter. Coprological examinations were carried out within 24 hours after sampling, and Sheather's sugar solution was used. Average prevalence of the coccidium Isospora suis was 24.8%. Isosporosis prevalence in piglets was highest on day 13 of piglet age (46.3%) and at week 2 after birth (38.8%). With respect to seasonal dynamics of isosporosis the frequency of findings was highest in autumn 2002 (29.0%) and lowest in summer 2003 (20.0%). In infected piglets the presence of I. suis was detected most frequently in connection with watery diarrhoeas (39.0%) and least frequently in piglets with shaped faeces (19.0%). From the aspect of infection intensity most infections (58.2%) were weak and fewest infections (2.9%) were severe. Isosporosis occurred on all examined farms.