Behnam Mohammadi Ghalebin  , Esmaeel Fallah  , Mohammad Asgharzadh  , Abdol Hassan Kazemi  , Mohsen Arzanlou  , 
    Detection and Identification of <I>Cryptosporidium</I> species in Water Samples from a River in Ardabil City, Northwestern Iran,
    Research Journal of Biological Sciences,
    Volume 2,Issue 4,
    2007,
    Pages 498-502,
    ISSN 1815-8846,
    rjbsci.2007.498.502,
    (https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=rjbsci.2007.498.502)
    Abstract: <I>Cryptosporidium</I> is an opportunistic parasite typically associated with large waterborne outbreaks. Surface waters contaminated with human and animal feces serve as main source for epidemic spread of <I>Cryptosporidium </I>parasites. In this study, we used a small-subunit rRNA-based PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) technique to determine the prevalence and to characterize human-infective species of <I>Cryptosporidium</I> parasites in water samples collected from a stream in Ardabil city in Iran. Among 30 samples examined, 11 samples showed positive results. Restriction pattern analysis showed <I>C. andersony</I> as the most common species with 7 cases; followed by <I>C. parvum</I>, bovine genotype, with 3 cases and <I>C. suis</I> with 1 case. The results indicated that PCR-RFLP technique provides an applicable and feasible method for detection and identification of <I>Cryptosporidium </I>oocysts in environmental water samples. The results, furthermore, demonstrated that wildlife is the major source of <I>Cryptosporidium </I>oocysts in surface water resources in the study region.
    Keywords: Cryptosporidium species;PCR-RFLP;water;detection;indentification;Iran