Identification of enteropathogens from buffalo calves with and without diarrhoea in the Ribeira Valley, State of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Faecal samples of 106 buffalo calves aged 3 to 45 days were collected sequentially, once a week, during six weeks for parasitologic examination. For bacteriologic and virologic exams, faecal samples were collected from all diarrhoeic and the same amount on non-diarrhoeic calves. Blood samples from calves were collected at 3 to 10 days of age for serum IgG determination. Eimeria spp, Strongyloides papillosus and Toxocara vitulorum were the most common parasites. E. coli, Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the enteropathogens most frequently found (alone or in association with other microrganisms). Heat-stable (STa) enterotoxin was detected in 5 out of 34 samples of E. coli isolated from diarrhoeic calves. Among the antimicrobials tested susceptibilities to norphloxacin, chloramphenicol and gentamycin were the most common. None of the samples had characteristic rotavirus RNA bands in PAGE-electrophoresis. No association was observed between low levels of IgG and diarrhoea.