Prevalence and infection pattern of naturally acquired giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis in range beef calves and their dams

The prevalence and infection pattern of naturally acquired giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis in 20 ranch raised beef calves and their dams from birth to weaning was determined. Rectal fecal samples were collected from calves at 3 days of age and weekly thereafter; cows’ fecal samples were collected a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Veterinary parasitology 2003-05, Vol.114 (2), p.113-122
Main Authors: Ralston, Brenda J., McAllister, Tim A., Olson, Merle E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age Factors
Alberta - epidemiology
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Calves
Cattle
Cattle Diseases - epidemiology
Cattle Diseases - parasitology
Cryptosporidiosis - epidemiology
Cryptosporidiosis - parasitology
Cryptosporidiosis - veterinary
Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium parvum - immunology
Cryptosporidium parvum - isolation & purification
Feces - parasitology
Female
Giardia
Giardia lamblia - immunology
Giardia lamblia - isolation & purification
Giardiasis - epidemiology
Giardiasis - parasitology
Giardiasis - veterinary
Immunity, Maternally-Acquired
Immunoglobulin G - blood
Prevalence
Weaning
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Summary:The prevalence and infection pattern of naturally acquired giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis in 20 ranch raised beef calves and their dams from birth to weaning was determined. Rectal fecal samples were collected from calves at 3 days of age and weekly thereafter; cows’ fecal samples were collected at the time of calving, 1 week later and four times during the summer grazing period. Blood samples were collected from the calves at 3 days of age to determine IgG 1 concentrations. Giardia lamblia cysts were shed by all 20 calves (100%) at some date during the duration of the study. However, only one calf (5%) shed Cryptosporidium parvum on two sample dates during the trial. Giardia cysts were first detected at 3.9±1.37 weeks of age with a range of 2–7 weeks of age. The geometric mean number of Giardia cysts in the calf feces increased from none at 1 week of age to a maximum of 2230 cysts/g of feces at 5 weeks of age and then decreased to 2 cysts/g at 25–27 weeks of age. Infection rate of calves shedding Giardia cysts peaked at 85% at 5 weeks of age and then decreased to 21% at 25–27 weeks of age. Giardia cysts, shed by calves peaked 1 week after initial shedding and decreased ( P
ISSN:0304-4017
1873-2550
DOI:10.1016/S0304-4017(03)00134-1