Molecular study of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia lamblia which cause diarrhea in camels (Camillus dromedaries) in Al-Diwaniyah and Al-Najaf provinces /Iraq

Because of little studies which related to camels, this is the first study in Iraq aimed to the description of Cryptosporidium spp., and Giardia lamblia in it. Out of 200 fecal samples of camels from the slaughterhouse and other areas of Al-Diwaniyah and Al-Najaf provinces. Some of the camels suffered from diarrhea and the others asymptomatic animals within the period from October 2015 to the end of April 2016. The study showed the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection was (55%) by Modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain method, while the prevalence of Giardia infection was (20%) by Lugol's iodine and by floatation with zinc sulfate solution. Regarding the prevalence depending on the PCR technique, there were (88%) of Cryptosporidium infection while the prevalence of Giardia infection was (39%). This study concluded that the camels consider a source of infection with both genera of studied parasites which consider zoonotic parasites. The routine examinations necessary for detection the zoonotic diseases