Abstract
Introduction: Cryptosporidiosis is recognized as a significant water/food-borne zoonosis associated with morbidity and economic losses in farm animals. The zoonotic risk of Cryptosporidium via fish-borne infection is emerging as a significant public health concern worldwide.

Aim: This study investigated the incidence of Cryptosporidium oocysts among Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) sold for human consumption at major wet markets in Maiduguri metropolis, Borno State. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to April 2015 to select and sample 200 catfish from Custom market (n=100) and Monday market (n=100) of Maiduguri metropolis council. The fishes were dissected to collect visceral contents. The intestinal mucosal scrapings were used to make smears, which were subsequently fixed with Bunsen flame and stained with Ziehl-Nielsen Acid-fast stain for the detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts under oil immersion. Results: In total, 3 (1.5%; 95%CI = 0.39-4.68) samples were positive for Cryptosporidium oocysts. Female fish had a non-significantly (χ2 test: p>0.05) higher sex-specific prevalence of 1.92% (95% CI = 0.33-7.45) compared with males 1.04% (95% CI = 0.05-6.49). Cryptosporidium oocysts were only recorded in adult fishes (1.62%; 95% CI = 0.42-5.04) and catfishes collected from Custom Market had a slightly high but non-significant (χ2 test: p>0.05) prevalence of 2.0% (95% CI = 0.35 - 7.74) compared to those from the Monday Market (1.0%; 95% CI = 0.05 - 6.24). Significance: The presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in catfish sold for human consumption in Maiduguri and its environs highlights the potential role of fish as a source of human infection, especially among people who frequently consume roasted or improperly cooked fish. Keywords: Clarias gariepinus, Cryptosporidium oocysts, Maiduguri, Prevalence, Zoonosis

PDF