S. Shahrokhi - Research Center for Food Hygiene and Safety, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran, Department of Food Hygiene and Safety, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
B. Hajimohammadi - Research Center for Food Hygiene and Safety, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran, Department of Food Hygiene and Safety, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
G. Eslami - Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
M.H. Ehrampoush - Research Center for Food Hygiene and Safety, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
M.H. Fallahzadeh - Center for Healthcare Data Modeling, Departments of biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of public health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

Background: Cryptosporidium is one of the most important agents of food-borne diseases with gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea in either livestock or humans. This protozoon can be transmitted to human through consuming contaminated raw milk and dairy products. The present study aimed to detect Cryptosporidium spp. in traditional raw cow milk, cream, and cheese consumed in Yazd city, Central Iran. Methods: Two hundred traditional (unpasteurized) milk and dairy samples were collected from five different regions of the studied area, including ۱۰۰ traditional cow milk, ۵۰ cow cheese, and ۵۰ cow cream. DNA extraction was performed. Then, molecular detection was performed using the nested Polymerase Chain Reaction technique. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version ۲۳.۰. Results: The findings of this study showed that ۱۱% samples were contaminated with Cryptosporidium spp., including ۴.۰% (۴/۱۰۰) milk, ۱۸.۰% (۹/۵۰) cream, and ۱۸.۰% (۹/۵۰) cheese (p<۰.۰۵). Besides, parasite contamination was ۸.۸, ۱۲.۵, ۱۲.۸, ۸.۳, and ۱۲.۸% in the Center, North, East, South, and West of the studied region, respectively (p>۰.۰۵). Conclusion: Due to the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. in unpasteurized dairy samples in Central Iran, developing and designing control and prevention programs is necessary against this parasite. DOI: ۱۰.۱۸۵۰۲/jfqhc.۹.۲.۱۰۶۴۶

Cryptosporidium, Parasites, Milk, Dairy Products, Cheese, Iran