Cryptosporidiosis in a commercial dairy cattle farm in Malaysia

Slamah B.; Julaida S.; Saudah S.; Rasidah A. L.; Norhamizah A. H.

Cryptosporidiosis in a commercial dairy cattle farm in Malaysia

2011

Slamah B. | Julaida S. | Saudah S. | Rasidah A. L. | Norhamizah A. H.

Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in 3 cows from rectal pinchsamples. Direct smear stained with Acid Fast and Kinyoun stain was used to detect the organism. Subsequent samplings also indicated positive for Cryptosporidiosis, whereby one of the animals died due to dehydration and severe clinical signs of diarrhea. The farm had contaminated water supply where two out of the four ponds werepositive for Cryptosporidium spp. whereas the municipal water supply was negative. The management of the farm was poor in terms of nutrition and cleanliness which led to Cryptosporidium spp. infection in the cattle compounded by stress factors. The mortality of the adult dairy cattle and calves was also high reaching up to40%. The most common cause of death was leg weakness, severe dehydration and pneumonia in calves as a result of severe infections. Cryptosporidiosis is zoonotic and thus needs to be controlled to prevent outbreaks in the human population.

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