Winter Dysentery Research Articles

Association of diarrhea in cattle with torovirus infections on farms

SUMMARY An epidemiologic survey was performed to determine the incidence of torovirus infections in 2 disease entities of cattle: diarrhea of replacement calves up to 2 months old, and winter dysentery of adult cattle. Samples were obtained from 187 diarrheal and 115 healthy calves from 15 farms, as well as 149 diarrheal and 67 healthy cows from 27 farms with or without winter dysentery. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for detection of torovirus, rotavirus, and coronavirus antigen in feces, and of torovirus and coronavirus antibodies in serum were used to monitor infections in these groups. Torovirus was detected in 9 of the 15 farms in the study, and in 6% of calves with diarrhea, which was significantly higher than in healthy calves (2%). Seroconversion to torovirus was found significantly more often after winter dysentery episodes than on farms without a disease history; coronavirus seroconversion was less common.

Serologic Evidence of Coronavirus Infection in New York and New England Dairy Cattle with Winter Dysentery

Acute and convalescent sera were collected from 8 dairy herds with classic clinical features of winter dysentery. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure coronavirus antibody titers, employing calf diarrhea coronavirus as antigen. Twenty-two of the 35 animals tested (63%) showed a greater than or equal to 4-fold seroconversion. Adult cattle in all 8 herds seroconverted. These findings complement previously reported immunoperoxidase and electron microscopic evidence, suggesting an etiologic role for an enteric coronavirus in this disease.

Bovine Coronavirus as the Causative Agent of Winter Dysentery: Serological Evidence

Sera from 9 dairy herds with epizootic enteritis (winter dysentery) were examined for antibodies to bovine coronavirus (BCV) and bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV). Cows in 8 of the 9 herds seroconverted to BCV alone, while the animals in the ninth herd, which showed severe symptoms of the disease, seroconverted both to BCV and BVDV. The BCV antibodies, which were present in high titres 1 year postinfection, were transferred to the offspring via the colostrum and were then detectable in sera of calves until these were approximately 5 months old. A serological survey of 549 Swedish heifers showed that 61% of the animals were reactors to BCV. The prevalence of seroreactors to BCV was equally distributed over Sweden but was commonly either high or low in herds. In conclusion, BCV is commonly detected in animals suffering from winter dysentery. A co-infection with BVDV appears to aggravate the disease.

Cell culture propagation of a coronavirus isolated from cows with winter dysentery

Fecal filtrates from cows with winter dysentery were inoculated into gnotobiotic and conventional calves, and a coronavirus was isolated from calf feces. Cytopathic effects were observed on human rectal tumor cells but not bovine cell cultures. The winter dysentery isolates morphologically and antigenically resembled the Mebus strain of bovine coronavirus.

An epidemiological study of winter dysentery in fifteen herds in France

Winter dysentery is a highly contagious disease of cattle seen most often during the winter months. In the course of an epidemiological study, the management, production, hygiene and previous diseases in 15 herds were characterized by 32 variables. Each herd was then visited twice a week for 8 weeks and 8 to 10 cows were clinically examined during each visit. Winter dysentery occurred in half of the herds during the survey.All data were analysed by classical statistical methods and by multivariate analysis.Mild or severe disease provoked nasal discharge and was associated with significant economic loss. Winter dysentery outbreaks appeared to be associated with small farms in which the area available per cow is either too small or too large, the presence of coronavirus in the faeces and variations in the temperature of the stable and of the drinking water.

Winter dysentery in adult dairy cattle

Winter dysentery in adult dairy cattle

Winter dysentery in adult dairy cattle: detection of coronavirus in the faeces.

Winter dysentery in adult dairy cattle: detection of coronavirus in the faeces.

Calfhood coronavirus enterocolitis: a clue to the etiology of winter dysentery.

Calfhood coronavirus enterocolitis: a clue to the etiology of winter dysentery.

Winter dysentery: a coronavirus-like agent in the faeces of beef and dairy cattle with diarrhoea

Winter dysentery: a coronavirus-like agent in the faeces of beef and dairy cattle with diarrhoea

Mise en évidence d'un agent du type coronavirus dans les fèces de bovins atteints d'entérite hémorragique d’hiver (winter dysentery)

Winter dysentery is a bovine syndrome which is poorly understood and which exists in many regions of France, as in many other countries. The etiological study of several outbreaks in the department of the Yonne has led to the identification of coronavirus particles in the sick animals’ faeces. These observations correspond with those made in New Zealand and Japan.

Epidemiologic observations on bovine winter dysentery

In two herds undergoing 'winter dysentery' outbreaks, the distribution of onset of diarrhoea suggested an infectious and contagious disease with cow to cow spread. Age and breed appeared inconsequential in diarrhoea and fever. Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and bovine viral diarrhoea viruses are evidently not involved. No currently available vaccine is effective in its control.

Etiologic studies of bovine winter dysentery

Study of 20 herd outbreaks of winter dysentery showed that the disease could be transmitted from affected to healthy cattle, but vibrios, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, bovine viral diarrhoea, parvovirus, enterovirus and other cytopathic bovine viruses did not seem to be involved.