Cryptosporidiosis

Overview

Disease caused by the parasite cryptosporidium.

Diagnosis

• Faecal smear
  • Ziehl-Neelson (ZN) stain
  • Oocysts stain red against a blue/green background

• Immunoassays
  • Detect oocysts in faeces

Control

• Isolate/quarantine bought-in calves
  • Treat if signs of diarrhoea present

• Good hygiene, adequate bedding and disinfection of calf pens is important

• Prevention/treatment
  • Halofuginone
    • Halocur or Intervet
    • Oral dosage

Villus Atrophy in Enteritis

• Affects calf, lamb, piglet, kitten.
• Increasingly important as part of the neonatal diarrhoea complex in calves.
• Zoonosis.

Pathology

Gross

• Intestines diffusely reddened, with fluid contents.

Histological

• Tiny parasites on surface of epithelium.
• Villus atrophy and fusion.
• Iinflammation (mainly lymphoid) in crypts and lamina propria.