Identification of cryptosporidial oocysts in faecal samples of diarrhoeic calves.

In an attempt to identify cryptosporidial oocysts in diarrhoeic faecal samples of calves, three conventional diagnostic techniques viz., Sheather's sucrose centrifugal floatation (SSCF) with modified acid–fast dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) staining, SSCF with rapid staining and formal – ether sedimentation with modified acid – fast (DMSO) staining were compared with ELISA technique, for their efficacy. The morphological features of the oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium muris detected in the present study were described.