Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

Cryptosporidiosis of calves

The disease in brief

Cryptosporidium spp. is a parasite that causes diarrhea and is widespread in various animal species. The disease is severe in newborn lambs, kids and calves. Some genotypes observed in ruminants are transmissible to humans (but half of human infections are due to a specific parasite C. hominis). 

The source of infection for the young is the adults (asymptomatic carriers due to concomitant immunity) and especially the infected environment, because the oocysts survive there for months (housing, watering buckets) as soon as there is sufficient humidity. A neonatal infection results in a peak of diarrhea between 5 and 15 days of age with a peak of oocyst excretion from the 9th day. Cryptosporidium thus participates in the diarrhea of the 2nd week of life of the calf with rotaviruses and coronaviruses. These diarrheas are frequent; they are favored by colostral deficit, poorly ventilated nurseries and, like all neonatal diarrheas, tend to worsen (frequency and clinical expression) from the beginning to the end of winter.

Clinic & diagnosis

Cryptosporidia diarrhea has no marked clinical specificity. The disease can be suspected in calves over 5 days old when sticky diarrhea is observed, with limited mortality or the incidence of which increases during the winter season.

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

-VX11 rotavirus calf diarrhea

-VX11.1 coronavirus calf diarrhea

-Mixed diarrhea in the 2nd week of life of the calf:INFO VX12.1

Confirm a suspicion?

A parasite detection test can be carried out in the farm using a rapid qualitative test, but it does not allow conclusions to be drawn on the involvement of cryptosporidia in the diarrhea observed. To confirm a clinical suspicion, a semi-quantitative examination must be carried out by stool staining using the Ziel-Nielsen method read by an experienced person (for the repeatability of the semi-quantitative evaluation).

Prognosis and treatment

The only therapeutic indication concerns halofunginone lactate but it only allows a reduction of diarrhea if it is administered within the first 24 hours of clinical expression. Adjuvant treatment should include rehydration if necessary.

-Other treatments have shown their effectiveness but their uses must take into account regulatory constraints.

Prevention

Prevention of cryptosporidiosis should be part of a calf health management program:

-Distribution of colostrum: Its effectiveness can be assessed by taking blood from 5 calves

-The housing of the calves must allow the preservation of the newborns and the isolation of the sick.

-Preventive treatment with halofuginone is possible after laboratory confirmation.

- Disinfection of premises at the end of the season must be done with suitable products:

References

-Veterinary Medicine-Pocket companion -9th Edition BLOOD DC-page 465