A CASE-CONTROL STUDY OF POTENTIAL ENTERIC PATHOGENS FOR CALVES RAISEDIN COW-CALF HERDS

A matched case control study was performed to describe the epidemiolog ical features of potential enteric pathogens for calves reared in 53 c ow-calf herds located in western Switzerland. A total of 106 diarrhoei c calves and 126 healthy control calves were collected, all calves wer e less than 4 months old. Faecal samples were analysed for presence of infectious agents related to calf diarrhoea including enterotoxigenic E. coli, Verotoxin producing E. coli (VTEC), Campylobacter sp., Yersi nia sp., Salmonella sp., rotavirus, coronavirus, helminths and coccidi an protozoa. Multivariate logistic models were used to analyse the rel ationship between presence of infection and onset of diarrhoea. The st udy provided evidence of significant associations between diarrhoea an d infection with rotavirus, Campylobacter coil and the presence of Ver otoxin in faecal samples. With the exception of Cryptosporium parvum i ntestinal parasites including Strongylidae and Eimeria sp. were found to be less prevalent in cases than in controls. Control calves were si gnificantly more frequently infected with Strongyloides papillosus tha n case animals.