Epidemiological investigation of viral, bacterial and parasitic etiology of calf diarrhea in Türkiye

In cattle breeding, neonatal calf diarrhea is considered the most significant health problem, causing 50% of total calf deaths. The presented study aimed to identify etiological agents in diarrheic calves in 9 provinces of the Eastern Anatolia Region, where the most intensive cattle breeding is conducted in T & uuml;rkiye, using real-time PCR. Stool samples were taken from a total of 500 calves with neonatal calf diarrhea. In the samples taken, the agents bovine coronavirus, bovine rotavirus, Escherichia coli K99, Salmonella spp., Cryptosporidium spp., bovine torovirus, and bovine norovirus were analyzed using real-time PCR, while C. perfringens alpha toxin, and Eimeria bovis/Eimeria zuernii, were analyzed using PCR. Bovine viral diarrhea virus was analyzed using RT-PCR. In the study, viral agents were detected at 44%, bacterial agents at 28%, and protozoa at 28%. As a result of the research, the following pathogens were detected: 10.8% bovine coronavirus, 11.6% bovine rotavirus, 6.6% Eimeria bovis/Eimeria zuernii, 14% Cryptosporidium spp., 1.4% bovine torovirus, 5.8% bovine norovirus, 3.2% BVDV, 2.4% Salmonella spp., 17% E. coli K99, and 1.4% C. perfringens. In our research, cases of diarrhea accompanied by multiple pathogens were detected. In 19.6% of the 500 neonatal calf diarrhea cases, more than one pathogen was identified. In conclusion, the viral, bacterial, and parasitic agents of calf diarrhea were investigated in nine different provinces in the Eastern Anatolia Region of T & uuml;rkiye, where cattle breeding is most intensive. The study found that 53.4% of the pathogens identified in neonatal calf diarrhea cases consisted of bovine rotavirus, bovine coronavirus, E. coli K99, and Cryptosporidium spp..

Journal

TURKISH JOURNAL OF VETERINARY & ANIMAL SCIENCES

Year

2025

Volume

49

Issue

3

ISSN

1300-0128

DOI

10.55730/1300-0128.4378

WoS UID

WOS:001525580200003