Patterns of Cryptosporidium oocyst shedding in calves and a comparison of two diagnostic methods

Cryptosporidium spp. oocyst shedding was observed in calves from approximately 1 to 30 days of age. Oocysts were detected by either the Kinyoun acid-fast staining technique (microscopic examination—ME) or a commercially produced enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Test concordance between the two detection methods was determined. The mean (±SD) number of days to detection of cryptosporidial oocysts was 9.52 ± 1.92 for the ME and 9.83 ± 3.19 for the EIA. No significant difference between the means was found (P = 0.17). The period prevalence of cryptosporidiosis was 100% in calves from 1 to 30 days of age. The overall agreement between the ME and EIA was 72%, with a kappa value of 0.42 (SE ± 0.05). McNemar's test indicated that the proportion of tests determined positive by the two methods was not equal (P < 0.01). The findings of this study indicate moderate agreement between the two diagnostic methods, with the EIA being the more sensitive of the two. However, in most cases the herd-level determination of cryptosporidiosis requires minimal sample size and is more economically and easily accomplished by the ME methvd of detection.