STUDIES ON NEONATAL CALF DIARRHEA IN KUWAIT

Authors

1 Department of Science, College of Basic Education, PAAET, Post code 23167, Aridiya, Kuwait

2 Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Shaqra University, 1040 Ad-Dawadimi 11911, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

causes significant economic losses due to morbidity, mortality, and therapy cost and decreased
rates of development in affected calves. Multiple enteric pathogens are known to cause this disease
including viruses, bacteria and parasites. Cryptosporidium spp. is a protozoan parasite usually
responsible for gastrointestinal tract disease in human and calves. E. coli K99 was also incriminated
as one of the important causes of neonatal diarrhea. Corona viral infection could also
cause diarrhea in newborn calves. One hundred ninety-eight fecal samples collected from diarrheic
calves were tested with timmunochromatographic rapid test. Sixty one (30.8%) were po-sitive
for different pathogens either as single infection or co-infection with two or more enteric pathogens.
Cryptosporidium was the highest 20.2% (40/198), followed by E. coli K99 at 17.2%
(34/198), then Rotavirus 9.1% (18/198) and only 2 samples were positive for Coronavirus (1%).

Keywords