1. Detection and molecular characterization of major enteric pathogens in calves in central Ethiopia.
- Author
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Bergholm J, Tessema TS, Blomström AL, and Berg M
- Subjects
- Animals, Cattle, Ethiopia epidemiology, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolation & purification, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli genetics, Genotype, Cryptosporidiosis epidemiology, Rotavirus Infections veterinary, Rotavirus Infections epidemiology, Rotavirus Infections virology, Coronavirus Infections veterinary, Coronavirus Infections virology, Coronavirus Infections epidemiology, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction veterinary, Escherichia coli Infections veterinary, Escherichia coli Infections epidemiology, Escherichia coli Infections microbiology, Diarrhea veterinary, Diarrhea virology, Diarrhea microbiology, Diarrhea parasitology, Cattle Diseases virology, Cattle Diseases epidemiology, Cattle Diseases microbiology, Cattle Diseases parasitology, Feces virology, Feces parasitology, Feces microbiology, Rotavirus genetics, Rotavirus isolation & purification, Rotavirus classification, Cryptosporidium isolation & purification, Cryptosporidium genetics, Cryptosporidium classification, Coronavirus, Bovine genetics, Coronavirus, Bovine isolation & purification
- Abstract
Background: Calf diarrhea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the livestock sector worldwide and it can be caused by multiple infectious agents. In Ethiopia, cattle are the most economically important species within the livestock sector, but at the same time the young animals suffer from high rates of morbidity and mortality due to calf diarrhea. However, studies including both screening and molecular characterization of bovine enteric pathogens are lacking. Therefore, we aimed to both detect and molecularly characterize four of the major enteric pathogens in calf diarrhea, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (E. coli K99 +), Cryptosporidium spp., rotavirus A (RVA), and bovine coronavirus (BCoV) in calves from central Ethiopia. Diarrheic and non-diarrheic calves were included in the study and fecal samples were analyzed with antigen-ELISA and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Positive samples were further characterized by genotyping PCRs., Results: All four pathogens were detected in both diarrheic and non-diarrheic calves using qPCR and further characterization showed the presence of three Cryptosporidium species, C. andersoni, C. bovis and C. ryanae. Furthermore, genotyping of RVA-positive samples found a common bovine genotype G10P[11], as well as a more unusual G-type, G24. To our knowledge this is the first detection of the G24 RVA genotype in Ethiopia as well as in Africa. Lastly, investigation of the spike gene revealed two distinct BCoV strains, one classical BCoV strain and one bovine-like CoV strain., Conclusions: Our results show that Cryptosporidium spp., E. coli K99 + , RVA and BCoV circulate in calves from central Ethiopia. Furthermore, our findings of the rare RVA G-type G24 and a bovine-like CoV demonstrates the importance of genetic characterization., (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2024
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