Diagnosis of Cryptosporidium on a sheep farm with neonatal diarrhea by immunofluorescence assays

Vet Parasitol. 1993 Mar;47(1-2):17-23. doi: 10.1016/0304-4017(93)90172-j.

Abstract

An outbreak of diarrhea in neonatal lambs occurred on a sheep farm in northern Ohio. Diarrhea commenced as early as 1 week of age and lasted for about 3-4 days. Although 100% of the newborn lambs were affected, most had recovered by 3 weeks of age. Cryptosporidium infection appeared to be the cause of diarrhea. Fecal examination of nine diarrheic newborn lambs (5-10 days old), 23 older lambs (2-3 weeks old, six with diarrhea) and 23 clinically normal ewes by immunofluorescence assays revealed infection rates of 100%, 78.3% and 17.4%, respectively. Most newborn lambs had high oocyst counts. Ewes were considered to be an important source of infection for lambs.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn / parasitology*
  • Cryptosporidiosis / diagnosis*
  • Cryptosporidiosis / epidemiology
  • Cryptosporidium / isolation & purification*
  • Diarrhea / epidemiology
  • Diarrhea / parasitology
  • Diarrhea / veterinary*
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
  • Feces / parasitology*
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique / veterinary
  • Sheep
  • Sheep Diseases / diagnosis
  • Sheep Diseases / epidemiology
  • Sheep Diseases / parasitology*