NDSU Agriculture Communication: Parasitic Infection Hits Cattle, Puts Humans at Risk

Calves are getting a parasitic infection that they can pass on to humans. A number of calves are suffering from cryptosporidiosis, a, this spring, which can put their handlers at risk. “This extremely wet and sloppy spring calving season increases the risk of cryptosporidia infections, not only in our calves, but in the people caring for them,” says Charlie Stoltenow, North Dakota State University Extension Service veterinarian.
Cryptosporidiosis is caused by the protozoan parasite cryptosporidium parvum. The organism can affect the epithelial cells in human gastrointestinal, bile duct and respiratory tracts. More than 45 species of animals, including cattle, sheep, poultry, fish, reptiles, dogs, cats and rodents, also can become infected. The disease is passed from animals to people or person to person through feces. The parasite most commonly is found in food and water contaminated by feces from an infected animal or human. It can survive under very adverse conditions and is very resistant to disinfectants. People can re-infect themselves one or more times. The disease can affect people of all ages. People may have the disease with no symptoms, so they become a source of infection to others. People who do have symptoms may experience diarrhea, anorexia and vomiting, but those should disappear in one to two weeks in healthy people. However, it can be a serious, prolonged disease in people with immature or compromised immune systems, such as children and older adults. No vaccine is available to prevent this disease, Stoltenow says. Stoltenow also recommends people report suspected human cases of the disease to local health officials.
Here is some advice on how people can avoid the disease:
If you work with animals, wear protective clothing and wash your hands after handling the animals.
- Avoid exposure to animal feces, especially from calves with diarrhea.
- Keep children away from sick animals, especially calves with diarrhea.
- Wash your hands with soap after using the bathroom.
- Prepare food properly and wash your hands before eating.
- Dispose of human and animal feces properly.
- Disinfect areas where the disease could be spread.
Symptoms in calves, lambs and young goats include diarrhea, anorexia and weight loss. The disease often occurs with other diarrhea-causing bacteria and/or viruses and in animals that have compromised immune systems. Re-infection can cause relapses, chronic infection and death. For more information, visit NDSU publication V-1212. It’s available online at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ansci/livestoc/v1212w.htm.
Source:
Charlie Stoltenow, (701) 231-7522, charles.stoltenow@ndsu.edu
Editor:
Ellen Crawford, (701) 231-5391, ellen.crawford@ndsu.edu

SDSU Ag News: Increase Your Calf Crop

By Lance Nixon, Editor, SDSU Ag Bio Communications

A new publication from the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service can help beef producers get more calves. Extension Extra 2068, “Increasing your calf crop by management, pregnancy testing, and breeding soundness examination of bulls,” is available online at a South Dakota State University Web site, http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/ExEx2068.pdf. Or ask for it at your county Extension office. SDSU Extension Beef Reproduction Management Specialist George Perry, Extension Veterinarian Russ Daly, and Marshall County Extension Livestock Educator Tyler Melroe wrote the publication. It discusses the importance of a high-percent calf crop, possible causes of a reduced calf crop, and ways to increase calf crop by nutrition and by managing herd health. The publication discusses both diseases that affect reproductive performance of the cows, and diseases that cause calf loss from birth to weaning. The authors also deal briefly with breeding and calving seasons; calving distribution; dystocia, or difficulty with calving; and record keeping. They discuss what is involved in a breeding soundness exam and in pregnancy testing. Consult the publication for more details.