Diagnosis and Therapeutic Management of Cryptosporidiosis in a Young Diarrhoeic Calf

Abstract

Cryptosporidium species are apicomplexan intracellular, extra-cytoplasmic protozoan parasites that infect the  microvillus epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract causing  cryptosporidiosis disease condition in wide range of  vertebrate hosts including human beings (Xiao et al., 2004).  Cryptosporidiosis causes huge economic losses primarily due  to morbidity with severe diarrhoea, dehydration and retarded  growth, and limited extend to the mortality (O’Donoghue  1995). The pathogenic effect of bovine cryptosporidiosis  caused by Cryptosporidium parvum is higher in young  unweaned calves with an immature immune system,  resulting in severe diarrhoea, dehydration and even death  (Moore et al., 2003; Trotz et al., 2007); however, weaned and  adult animals can also get infection with this species. Several  reports of prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. are available  in neonatal and young bovine calves across the world,  including India, leading to high morbidity and mortality  along with their capacity to infect human being through the  faeco-oral route of transmission (Fayer and Xiao, 2008; Venu  et al., 2012; Maurya et al. 2013a). In bovine cryptosporidiosis,  the clinical form of the disease (Maurya et al., 2016) and  the oocyst shedding pattern in the faeces are restricted to  calves of few months age only (Bhat et al., 2012), but there are  some reports of sub-clinical oocyst shedding in adults and  immunocompromised animals (Lorenzo et al., 1993). 

Cryptosopridium species became a known and major  public issue after a massive waterborne outbreak in  Milwaukee, USA in 1993 (MacKenzie et al., 1994). Now a  days Cryptosporidium spp. has been recognized beyond  the livestock/veterinary problem; it is considered as a vital  zoonotic waterborne parasite transmitted from cattle to  immunocompromised humans (Fayer et al., 2000; Slifko et  al., 2000). Cryptosporidiosis in animals poses a significant  threat to public health, as the massive shedding of resistant  oocysts can easily contaminate the water sources (Maurya  et al., 2013a). Furthermore, the clinical disease adversely  impacts the animal productivity and often causing high  morbidity and mortality in calves (Singh et al., 2006; Maurya  et al., 2016). In the present document we report the diagnosis  and therapeutic management of cryptosporidiosis in young  diarrhoeic calf.