Aim:Aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence, virulence gene profiles, and antimicrobial resistance pattern of Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) in diarrheic buffalo calves from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States.Materials and Methods:A total of 375 fecal samples from diarrheic buffalo calves of 1-7, 8-30, 31-60, and 61-90 days age were collected from which STEC were isolated, and virulence genes were detected using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The antimicrobial resistance of isolates was tested by disk diffusion method.Results:The prevalence of E. coli associated diarrhea in buffalo calves was 85.04%, of which 35.01% was STEC origin. In STEC, the combination of eaeA and, hlyA virulence genes was highest (42.45%) followed by stx1 (16.04%), stx1, stx2 and hlyA (13.21%), stx2 (12.64%), stx1, eae and hlyA (9.43%) and stx1 and hlyA (6.6%) genes were detected. Highest antimicrobial resistance was observed for tetracycline (63.21%) and ampicillin (48.11%), while chloramphenicol, gentamycin (96.33%) and imipenem (99.06%) antibiotics are susceptible. Multidrug resistance was detected in 69.81% of the STEC isolates from diarrheic buffalo calves.Conclusion:Higher prevalence of eaeA and hlyA genes carrying isolates of STEC may be a serious zoonotic threat and increased prevalence of multidrug resistance in E. coli may necessitate stringent selection of appropriate antimicrobial agent in treating buffalo calf diarrhea cases.

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A study was carried out to investigate the epidemiology, molecular characterization and antibiotic resistance of Necrotoxigenic E. coli (NTEC) isolated from diarrhoeic calves in Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana States (TS). A total of 129 faecal samples from diarrhoeic buffalo calves of 1 to 90 days were collected from various districts in AP and TS, of which 60 E.coli were isolated. The cnf2 gene was detected by PCR and In vitro antibiotic susceptibility was tested by disk diffusion methods. The prevalence of E.coli associated diarrhea in calves was 46.51% of which 5.0% was due to NTEC based on the presence of cnf2 gene and none of the E.coli isolates possessed cnf1 gene. The NTEC isolates from diarrhoeic calves showed higher antibiotic resistance to tetracyclin and aztreonam (66.67%) and sensitive to ampicillin, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, amoxycillinclavulinicacid, gentamycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, sulfisoxazole, cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol and imipenem antibiotics. The present study provides baseline data on epidemiology of E.coli associated diarrhoeia, NTEC prevalence and antimicrobial resistance in calves which will help in formulating prophylactic and preventive measures in this geographic region.

Brucellosis is an economically important infection of livestock and humans due to the reproductive problems it causes and also the risk to the public health. A study of bovine brucellosis was conducted using different serological tests to determine the disease status in an organized dairy farm and two private dairy farms in coastal area of Andhra Pradesh. A total of 445 serum samples from 200 cattle and 245 buffaloes were screened using Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), Serum agglutination test (SAT), Lateral flow assay (LFA) and Indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA). An overall prevalence of 9.88%, 7.78%, 6.29% and 7.86% was detected by RBPT, SAT, LFA and i-ELISA respectively. The present study identified overall high prevalence of bovine brucellosis in un-organized private farms particularly in female white cattle. RBPT and i-ELISA can be used successfully to declare the disease status of the herd and to implement control programmes like test and culling of the affected animals and adoption of strict hygienic measures in the farm.