Lack of Detectable Shedding of Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts by Periparturient Dairy Cattle

• Published in: The Journal of parasitology Vol. 89; no. 6; pp. 1234 - 1236
• Main Authors: Atwill, E. R, Pereira, Mdas G C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS American Society of Parasitologists 01.12.2003
• Subjects: Animals; Beef cattle; Biological and medical sciences; Calves; calving; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - parasitology; cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidiosis - parasitology; Cryptosporidiosis - veterinary; Cryptosporidium parvum; Cryptosporidium parvum - isolation & purification; Dairy cattle; detection; DNA; excretion; fecal oocyst shedding; Feces; Feces - parasitology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects and techniques; Herds; Immunomagnetic Separation - veterinary; Infections; Labor, Obstetric; Microscopy, Fluorescence - veterinary; Oocysts; Parasitology; postpartum period; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic - parasitology; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic - veterinary; Protozoa; Research Notes; Sensitivity and Specificity; Veterinary medicine; California; Protozoa; Apicomplexa; Protozoal disease; Dairy cattle; Parasite; Calving; Parasitosis; Oocyst; Infection; Cryptosporidiosis; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Cryptosporidium parvum; Artiodactyla; Detection; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0022-3395; 1937-2345
• DOI: 10.1645/GE-3192RN

We examined whether periparturient dairy cattle shed Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts within 12 hr of calving on 3 commercial dairy farms endemic for calfhood cryptosporidiosis. Using a diagnostic method that can detect as few as 1 oocyst per gram of feces, we found no evidence of C. parvum oocysts in 86 fecal samples collected within 12 hr of calving from 43 dairy cows.