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A sum total of 402 faecal samples from buffalo calves belonging to the age group of three months were collected randomly without any clinical symptom from various livestock farms and small holdings in four districts of Haryana. The presence or absence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in faecal samples was confirmed by the standard microscopic examination of the modified Ziehl-Neelsen (MZN) stained faecal smears. The overall prevalence in buffalo calves was found to be 8.7%. The seasonal prevalence study revealed a maximum occurrence of Cryptosporidium infection during rainy followed by autumn, winters and minimum in summer season. Age related prevalence showed highest infection in calves between 16-30 days age which gradually decreased with increase in age. The DNA of representative positive faecal samples was extracted using standard phenol-chloroform-isoamylalcohol (PCI) method and then was subjected to nested PCR. All the extracted DNA were amplified for a 1325 bp primary fragment followed by a 834 bp nested fragment in a nested PCR of 18S rRNA gene, thereby confirming the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. The restricted enzyme digestion pattern (restricted fragment length polymorphism) of the 834 bp nested fragment using the restriction enzymes SspI and VspI confirmed the presence of C. parvum. Sequencing of Cryptosporidium DNA samples were carried out which also proved all samples to be of C. parvum. This is the first report of molecular identification of C. parvum in buffalo calves of Haryana and these Haryana isolates of Cryptosporidium parvum isolated from diarrhoeic buffalo calves are divergently related to rest of the part of the country isolates and indicates the zoonotic potential.

Bovine cryptosporidiosisis primarily associated with neonatal diarrhoea with higher morbidity than mortality in young calves till they attain immunological maturity. The present investigation relates to a report on the shedding of Cryptosporidium oocyst in two buffalo calves of buffalo farm, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar from 1st days up to 3 month of age at 15 days interval using simple conventional microscopy. By using formol-ether concentration technique followed by modified Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) acid fast staining, Cryptosporidium oocysts were concentrated and identified. The Cryptosporidium oocysts appeared as reddish pink coloured bodies against a bluish/greenish coloured background at oil immersion using ZN staining kit. The maximum oocyst shedding was observed (2.3 oocyst / field) during 16 to 30 days of age. The oocyst shedding gradually decreased with increase in age afterwards clearly indicating the disease of young buffalo calves.

Lantana camara Linn. (Family: Verbenaceae), an ornamental shrub, a noxious weed grows in many tropical and subtropical parts of world. The common name of this ornamental shrub is lantana, wild/red sage, bunch berry, locally known as “Barophulnoo”. The genus Lantana (Verbenaceae) as described by Linnaeus in 1753 contained seven species, six from South America and one from Ethiopia.

Nippostrongylus brasiliensis is a natural parasite of rat, closely related to human hookworm. Experimental host in which the parasite will attain sexual maturity include mouse, hamster, rabbit, chinchilla and to lesser extend in a cotton rat. The parasite does not occur naturally in laboratory rodents and its primary importance is as a model of immunology, host parasite interaction and anthelmintic testing.