title: Prevalence of Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Eimeria infections in post-weaned and adult cattle on three Maryland farms.
abstract: The prevalence of Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Eimeria, in healthy, asymptomatic, post-weaned and mature cattle was investigated on three Maryland farms. One farm, a dairy research facility, had 150 multiparous Holstein milking cows; 24 were examined and Cryptosporidium andersoni was detected in three (12.5%) but neither Giardia nor Eimeria was detected. The second farm, a commercial dairy, had 57 multiparous Holstein milking cows and an equal number of heifers. Of 19 cows examined, C. parvum, Giardia duodenalis, and Eimeria bovis and/or E. ellipsoidalis were detected in two (10.5%), two (10.5%) and one (5.26%) cow, respectively. Of 23 heifers examined, C. parvum, Giardia, and E. bovis and E. ellipsoidalis, was detected in two (8.7%), four (17.4%), and five (21.7%), heifers, respectively. The third farm, a beef cattle breeding and genetics research facility, had 180 7- to 9-month old purebred black Angus. Of 118 examined for C. parvum and Giardia, 34 (28.8%) and 44 (37.3%) were positive, respectively, of 97 examined for E. bovis and/or E. ellipsoidalis 32 (33.0%) were positive. These findings, based on a method with a minimum detection level of 100 oocysts of C. parvum/g of feces, which underestimates the number of infected cattle, clearly demonstrate the presence of low level, asymptomatic infections in post-weaned and adult cattle in the United States and indicate the potential role of such cattle as reservoirs of infectious parasites.
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Building 1040, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. rfayer@lpsi.barc.usda.gov
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fayer
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Trout
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Graczyk
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003612:Dairying; D004539:Eimeria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005872:Giardia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D014886:Weaning