Differential Diagnostic Value of Serum Procalcitonin and Iron Levels in Diarrheic Neonatal Calves Caused by Escherichia coli and Rotavirus

The most common enteropathogens causing diarrhea in neonatal calves are Escherichia coli (E. coli) and rotavirus. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a parameter that has recently become widely used to determine whether infectious diseases are caused by bacteria. Iron is an essential nutrient for almost all bacterial species, and serum iron levels are used as an inflammatory biomarker. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the differential diagnosis value of serum iron and procalcitonin levels in E. coli and rotavirus diarrhea. The material of the study consisted of 30 calves 1-15 days old. Three groups were formed as: E. coli (n=10), rotavirus (n=10) and control (n=10). Calves in the E. coli group had the highest PCT (P=0.005) and CRP (P=0.003) levels, as well as the lowest Fe (P=0.000) levels. As a result, it was determined that serum Fe levels could be used as an inflammatory marker and PCT levels higher than 50 pg/mL could be used in the differential diagnosis of E. coli diarrhea in calves with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity.