A comparative study of the effectiveness of the N-COWP gene in diagnosing Cryptosporidium parvum using PCR and nested-PCR techniques

Abstract

This study investigated the prevalence and molecular characterization of the parasite Cryptosporidium parvum among 100 stool samples collected from patients attending Tikrit Teaching Hospital. The study lasted from October/ 2024 to July / 2025. By using modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain, the parasite was detected in 38% of the samples when examined microscopically. The parasite was then detected using conventional PCR and nested PCR. DNA was extracted from 100 stool samples and the results showed the presence of a DNA band in 93 samples out of a total of 100. Conventional PCR diagnosis was performed using N-COWP gene primers on 93 samples and the results showed that the number of samples positive for the gene was 22 samples (23.7%), while the number of samples positive for the N-COWP gene using nested PCR on 93 samples was 7 samples (15.21%).