Diversity of Parasitic Diarrhea Associated with Buxtonella Sulcata in Cattle and Buffalo Calves with Control of Buxtonellosis

Abstract

The association between parasite isolates, including Buxtonella sulcata, in suckling and post-weaning calves and diarrhea was studied with the aim to control diarrhea caused by B. sulcata. A total of 1100 diarrheic fecal samples were collected from 609 suckling calves and 491 post-weaning calves with diarrhea. Salt floatation and modified Ziehl–Neelsen techniques were applied for the microscopic examination of the presence or absence of parasite eggs and oocysts/cysts. The microscopic findings revealed that 20.36% of the calves had parasitic diarrhea, with a prevalence rate of 19.54% in suckling calves and 21.38% in post-weaning calves. The most frequently detected parasites according to morphological characters were Eimeria species, Buxtonella sulcata, Toxocara vitulorum, Cryptosporidium species, and Moneizia species. In suckling calves, Eimeria species, B. sulcata, and T. vitulorum had the highest prevalence rates of infection, corresponding to about 37.14%, 32.86%, and 20.00%, respectively. However, in post-weaning calves, B. sulcata infection was more prevalent (30.15%) than infections with Eimeria species and T. vitulorum. The highest parasite score density was found in multiple infections with B. sulcata, Eimeria species, and T. vitulorum; however, the score density of B. sulcata when present alone in the fecal specimens was higher than in specimens co-infected with other parasites. The risk factors affecting the prevalence rate of parasitic diarrhea, such as sex, season, housing system, and feed stuff, are discussed. Concerning the treatment of diarrhea caused by B. sulcata in post-weaning cattle calves, 20 calves were divided into 4 equal groups. Group A was given sulphadimidine sodium (1.0 g/10 kg body weight) and metronidazole (500 mg/40 kg body weight); group B was treated with oxytetracycline hydrochloride (500 mg/45 Kg of body weight) and metronidazole (500 mg/40 kg body weight); group C was daily administered garlizine (allicin), 2 g/ L in drinking water; group D was the untreated control group. All medications were administered orally for four successive days. The results showed that the cyst count was significantly lower in the drug-treated groups, and the metronidazole + oxytetracycline hydrochloride and metronidazole + sulphadimidine combinations achieved 98.77% and 96.44% efficacy, respectively. Garlizine had 72.22% efficacy. Intriguingly, B. sulcata infection was associated with other parasitic infections, but B. sulcata mono-infection was the most common cause of diarrhea. Moreover, the combinations of oxytetracycline hydrochloride or sulphadimidine with metronidazole are recommended to control buxtonellosis in calves. Further studies are recommended to investigate the bacterial, viral, and fungal infections associated with B. sulcata infection.

Prophylactic and Therapeutic Efficacy of Prebiotic Supplementation against Intestinal Coccidiosis in Rabbits

“…Each rabbit was numbered by ear and cage tags. All rabbits were weighed, and fecal samples were collected and examined by fecal floatation test [20,21,22] to confirm the absence of Eimeria infection upon arrival.…”

Metagenomes and Assembled Genomes from Diarrhea-Affected Cattle (Bos taurus)

“…Diarrheal disease remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing world; cattle and young calves are highly susceptible to enteric infections caused by various pathogens ( 1 ). Diarrheal samples, C1-TPA and C3-TPA, were collected from affected cattle ( Bos taurus ) directly from the rectum with sterile nitrile gloves, at Lokaleng Village in Mafikeng, South Africa (25.82°S, 25.58°E).…”

Cattle buxtonellosis in Kaluga region in the Russian Federation

“…Neonates and young calves are highly susceptible to enteric infections by various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and helminths [2] . The most commonly identified parasitic agents responsible for diarrhea are B. sulcata, Cryptosporidium spp., Eimeria spp., Giardia spp., and Toxocara vitulorum [3] . The prevalence rate of diarrhea was substantially higher in calves passing B. sulcata cysts than in those without the cysts [4] .…”

“…As a cause of diarrhea, buxtonellosis was reported in Turkey [6] , Poland [7] , Italy [8] , Middle East [9,10] , North Africa [11,12] , and Taiwan [13] . Other authors described the pathological effects of other ciliates in cattle such as Balantidium coli [3,4] , whose cysts have a great morphological resemblance to B. sulcata. The differences between the two ciliates was described [14] .…”