Calf diarrhea is a commonly reported disease in young animals, and still a major cause of productivity and economic loss to cattle producers worldwide. In the report of the 2007 National Animal Health Monitoring System for U.S. dairy, half of the deaths among unweaned calves was attributed to diarrhea. Multiple pathogens are known or postulated to cause or contribute to calf diarrhea development. Other factors including both the environment and management practices influence disease severity or outcomes. The multifactorial nature of calf diarrhea makes this disease hard to control effectively in modern cow-calf operations. The purpose of this review is to provide a better understanding of a) the ecology and pathogenesis of well-known and potential bovine enteric pathogens implicated in calf diarrhea, b) describe diagnostic tests used to detect various enteric pathogens along with their pros and cons, and c) propose improved intervention strategies for treating calf diarrhea.
Animals ; Cattle ; *Cattle Diseases/diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology/prevention & control ; Diarrhea/diagnosis/microbiology/prevention & control/*veterinary

Matricaria chamomilla CH12 is a phytotherapeutic or homeopathic product, which has been used to reduce stress. Here, we examined its effect on preventing handling stress in bovines. Sixty Nelore calves were randomly distributed into two equal groups. One group was administered Matricaria chamomilla CH12 in diet and the other the 'control' was not. Animals in both groups were maintained unstressed for 30 days to adjust to the feeding system and pasture, and were then stressed by constraint on the 31th, 38th, 45th and 60th experimental days. Blood samples were taken on these days after animals had been immobilization in a trunk contention for 5 min. Stress was followed by analyzing serum cortisol levels. These peaked on the 45th day and then decreased, but not to baseline, on the 60th day. On the 45th day cortisol levels were significantly lower in animals fed Matricaria chamomilla CH12, suggesting that this product reduces stress. These effects may be a consequence of its inhibiting cortisol production and its calming and anxiolytic effects.
Animal Feed ; Animals ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*drug therapy ; Diet ; Matricaria/*chemistry ; Plant Preparations/chemistry/*pharmacology ; Stress/drug therapy/*veterinary

A not pregnant 4-year-old Jersey cow was presented with the sudden appearance of respiratory noise, nasal discharge and moderate respiratory difficulty. Upon physical examination a snoring-like noise, extended head and neck position, exaggerated abdominal effort, bilateral nasal discharge and left prescapular lymph node enlargement were noted. Sub-occlusion of the initial portion of the respiratory tract was suspected. Radiographic and endoscopic examinations revealed a pedunculate mass on the dorsal aspect of the rhinopharynx, which was removed with endoscopically assisted electrosurgery. Histologic examination revealed a chronic pyogranulomatous inflammation with eosinophilic club-like bodies surrounding small colonies of rod-shaped bacteria. Results of histochemical staining were consistent with Actinobacillus-like bacteria and a diagnosis of respiratory actinobacillosis was reached. Surgery and antibiotic therapy were resolutive, as demonstated by an endoscopic check at the second month after surgery, even without the association of the traditional iodine cure, which is regarded as the treatment of choice for actinobacillosis.
Actinobacillosis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology/surgery ; Actinobacillus/physiology ; Animals ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*diagnosis/drug therapy/pathology/surgery ; Female ; Respiratory Tract Infections/drug therapy/pathology/surgery/*veterinary ; Treatment Outcome

The hemodynamic effects of rapid intravenous (IV) administration of 10% dextran 40 in saline solution (D40) and 7.2% hypertonic saline solution (HSS) in calves were compared. Calves received isotonic saline solution (ISS), HSS or D40 (3 calves/group) and were monitored of blood pressure, and cardiac output (CO) for 180 min. HSS and D40 infusions induced a significant increase in relative plasma volume reaching 134.9 +/- 2.8 and 125.0 +/- 1.9%, respectively at the end of fluid infusion. In the HSS group, CO, cardiac index (CI) and stroke volume (SV) remained constant at low levels after 90 minutes despite the maximal values of CO, CI and SV at the end of infusion, reaching 21.0 +/- 6.3 l/min (p<0.05), 177.8 +/- 14.2 ml/min/kg (p < 0.001) and 0.20 +/- 0.03 l/beat (at t = 10 min, p < 0.001), respectively. In contrast, CI and SV in the D40 group showed significant increases to 14.7 +/- 2.9 l/min and 153.5 +/- 17.2 ml/min/kg, respectively, at the end of fluid infusion. And those values remained constant at higher levels than those of the before infusions values throughout the experimental periods. Positive effects for hemodynamic alternations of D40 in calf practice were milder and longer than those of HSS. Therefore, the D40 infusion should be explored as a possible treatment for dehydrated calves, since rapid infusion of D40 may be safe and more beneficial for rehydrating more than HSS treatment.
Animals ; Blood Pressure/drug effects ; Cardiac Output/drug effects ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/blood/pathology/physiopathology/*therapy ; Chlorides/blood ; Dextrans/*administration&dosage ; Heart Rate/drug effects ; Hypovolemia/blood/pathology/physiopathology/*therapy/*veterinary ; Infusions, Intravenous/veterinary ; Plasma Substitutes/*administration&dosage ; Plasma Volume/veterinary ; Potassium/blood ; Saline Solution, Hypertonic/*administration&dosage ; Sodium/blood

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the capacity of a lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculum to protect calves with or without lactose supplements against Salmonella Dublin infection by evaluating histopathological lesions and pathogen translocation. Fifteen calves were divided into three groups [control group (C-G), a group inoculated with LAB (LAB-G), and a group inoculated with LAB and given lactose supplements (L-LAB-G)] with five, six, and four animals, respectively. The inoculum, composed of Lactobacillus (L.) casei DSPV 318T, L. salivarius DSPV 315T, and Pediococcus acidilactici DSPV 006T, was administered with milk replacer. The LAB-G and L-LAB-G received a daily dose of 109 CFU/kg body weight of each strain throughout the experiment. Lactose was provided to the L-LAB-G in doses of 100 g/day. Salmonella Dublin (2 x 1010 CFU) was orally administered to all animals on day 11 of the experiment. The microscopic lesion index values in target organs were 83%, 70%, and 64.3% (p < 0.05) for the C-G, LAB-G, and L-LAB-G, respectively. Administration of the probiotic inoculum was not fully effective against infection caused by Salmonella. Although probiotic treatment was unable to delay the arrival of pathogen to target organs, it was evident that the inoculum altered the response of animals against pathogen infection.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*drug therapy/microbiology/pathology ; Dietary Supplements/*analysis ; Feces/microbiology ; Lactobacillus/metabolism ; Lactose/*metabolism ; Male ; Pediococcus/metabolism ; Probiotics/*therapeutic use ; Salmonella Infections, Animal/*drug therapy/microbiology/pathology ; Salmonella enterica/*drug effects/growth & development ; Tissue Distribution

Several reports on taeniasis and cysticercosis in Vietnam show that they are distributed in over 50 of 63 provinces. In some endemic areas, the prevalence of taeniasis was 0.2-12.0% and that of cysticercosis was 1.0-7.2%. The major symptoms of taeniasis included fidgeted anus, proglottids moving out of the anus, and proglottids in the feces. Clinical manifestations of cysticercosis in humans included subcutaneous nodules, epileptic seizures, severe headach, impaired vision, and memory loss. The species identification of Taenia in Vietnam included Taenia asiatica, Taenia saginata, and Taenia solium based on combined morphology and molecular methods. Only T. solium caused cysticercosis in humans. Praziquantel was chosen for treatment of taeniasis and albendazole for treatment of cysticercosis. The infection rate of cysticercus cellulosae in pigs was 0.04% at Hanoi slaughterhouses, 0.03-0.31% at provincial slaughterhouses in the north, and 0.9% in provincial slaughterhouses in the southern region of Vietnam. The infection rate of cysticercus bovis in cattle was 0.03-2.17% at Hanoi slaughterhouses. Risk factors investigated with regard to transmission of Taenia suggested that consumption of raw meat (eating raw meat 4.5-74.3%), inadequate or absent meat inspection and control, poor sanitation in some endemic areas, and use of untreated human waste as a fertilizer for crops may play important roles in Vietnam, although this remains to be validated.
Albendazole/*therapeutic use ; Animals ; Anthelmintics/therapeutic use ; Antiprotozoal Agents/therapeutic use ; Cattle/parasitology ; Cattle Diseases/parasitology ; Cysticercosis/*drug therapy/*epidemiology/parasitology/transmission ; Feces/parasitology ; Humans ; Meat/parasitology ; Praziquantel/*therapeutic use ; Raw Foods/adverse effects ; Risk Factors ; Swine/parasitology ; Swine Diseases/parasitology ; Vietnam/epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo study the current situation and the cause of schistosomiasis resurgence in order to provide reference for formulation of control strategy.

METHODSData in 1999 - 2003 and baseline data in some areas were collected and analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSResurgence was seen in 6.15% (16/260) of the areas and one farm where transmission of schistosomiasis had been interrupted and 33.33% (21/64) of the areas already under control. Snails appeared to have been rebounded only in six counties (farm) while in thirty two counties that rebound was seen in both snails and disease prevalence. Tendency of increase in the total numbers of patients, acute patients and cattle with schistosomiasis, areas with snails were seen from 1999 to 2003.

CONCLUSIONSEnvironmental, ecological, societal factors such as flood, acequia, lack of expenditure and lack of incentives at work etc. contributed to the resurgence of epidemics in those areas that criteria had been reached. Surveillance and supervision on the sources of infection and snail diffusion, especially in the areas where the transmission of schistosomiasis had already been under control.

Animals ; Cattle ; China ; epidemiology ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Disasters ; Disease Reservoirs ; Ecology ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Snails ; parasitology

Eleven cases of human brucellosis occurred among livestock workers and a veterinarian who lived and worked in a rural area around Jeongeup City, Jeollabuk-Do, Korea from February 2003 to August 2003. Eight of the patients had taken care of Korean native cattle that were infected with bovine brucellosis and had already been slaughtered. Two of the patients had taken care of dairy cattle, and one case was a veterinarian who acquired the disease through an accidental contact with infected cattle while assisting in calf delivery. Eleven cases were identified by serologic work ups and four cases were identified via positive blood cultures. This study shows that the Republic of Korea is no longer free of human brucellosis, Brucella abortus biotype 1. We reviewed the patients' characteristics and serologic data during the oneyear follow up period, and we also discuss on the efficacy and side effects of the rifampin and doxycyline regimen used for the treatment of human brucellosis.
Adult ; Animal Husbandry ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Bacterial/blood ; Base Sequence ; Brucella abortus/genetics/immunology/isolation and purification ; Brucellosis/drug therapy/*epidemiology/microbiology/transmission ; Brucellosis, Bovine/transmission ; Cattle ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics ; Disease Outbreaks ; Doxycycline/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases/drug therapy/epidemiology/immunology/microbiology ; Rifampin/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Veterinarians