survey on prevalence rate of cryptosporidiosis in referring dogs to veterinarian hospitals of Alborz province

Cryptosporidium is small coccidian parasites wich invade and replicate within the epithelial cell lining the digestive, respiratory and conjunctival organs of vertebrates. Cryptosporidium is a intracellular and extracyto plasmic organism.it is been shown to be an important parasite cause of entrocolitis and selflimited diarrhea in numbers of domestic and pet animals with defect in their immunity system. In this survey we examing 112 fecal samples including referring dogs to veterinarian hospitals in alborz province by Ziehl-Neelsen stain technique.7 samples of this examined animals (3 samples of dogs under 1 year old, 2 samples of dogs between 1 and 2 years, 1 samples of dogs between 2 and 3 years, 1 samples of dogs between 3 and 4 years old) are positive with a view of shedding of oocyst. There was no significant statical relationship between infection rate and sex (P>0.05), but there was significant statical relationship between infection rate and age (P