Epidemiological, Antigenic and Pathogenic Profile of Bovine Diarrhea in a Brazilian Cattle Population

Abstract

Fecal samples collected from 266 calves of dairy breeds in the northern region of the State of São Paulo were examined to study the frequency of various enteropathogens and to determine the resistance of isolated strains to various antimicrobial agents. A total of 127 Escherichia coli strains were isolated, 60 of them enterotoxigenic, as well as 23 Enterobacter cloacae strains, 18 Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, 15 Citrobacter freundii strains, 7 Salmonella strains of different serotypes, and one Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain. Thirty-six preparations positive for Cryptosporidium sp. were also identified, among which four were classified as Cryptosporidium parvum. The association of two or more agents was detected in 27 samples of diarrheic feces. Among the antibiotics tested, those against which Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. presented a greater resistance were lincomycin and penicillin G.