Colibacillosis

E. coli scours is characterized by diarrhea and progressive dehydration. Death may occur in a few hours before diarrhea develops. The color and consistency of the feces are of little value in making a diagnosis of any type of diarrhea. The course varies from 2 to 4 days, and severity depends on age of the calf when scours starts and on the particular serotype of E. coli. Upon postmortem examination, lesions are nonspecific. However, the small intestine may be filled with fluid and the large intestine may contain yellowish feces.

Colibacillosis
Clinical signs vary depending on; 1- Virulance of the strain & wither the strain invasive or non invasive 2- The immune status of the calf & amount of colostrums fed 3- The effect of the environmental condition.

Colibacillosis
Etiology 1- Strains that invade the intestinal epithelium ,enteroinvasive E.coli :- Colisepticaemia 2- Strains that non invasive & produce gut adhesive antigen and enterotoxcins ,enterotoxogenic strain of E.coli (ETEC) :- Enterotoxogenic form 3- Non invasive enteric strains commonly associated with diarrhea are nither enteroinvasive nor enterotoxogenic but elabourate ,Verocell cytotoxcin :Enteric form

Colibacillosis
Control of E. coli scours can be difficult in a severe herd outbreak. All calves should receive colostrum as soon after birth as possible. This helps the calf resist E. coli infection. Early isolation and treatment of scours helps to prevent new cases. There are new E. coli cow vaccines now on the market. These vaccines contain the K99 antigen which should give immunity to many types of E. coli. The vaccine is administered 6 weeks and 3 weeks prior to calving. The new E. coli vaccine is also available in combination with the rotaand coronavirus vaccine. This vaccination builds high antibody levels in the colostrum, but the calf must get colostrum in the first few hours of life for the vaccine to be effective

Forms of the diseases Three forms of colibacillosis were recognized : septicaemic, enterictoxaemic and enteric. The clinical signs vary depending upon the form of colibacillosis present in the individual examined . (1) The colisepticaemia ;is characterized by sudden death associated with E. Coli bacteraemia. This organisms can be isolated, usually as a single serotype, in pure culture from organs and tissues throughout the body. This form may be associated with diarrhea . (2) The entero-toxaemic form is characterized by a sudden and usually fatal collapse. Affected calves may have diarrhea but usually do not. There is no bacteraemia, but certain sero-types of E.coli colonize the anterior small intestine and are confined to the intestine. The mechanism of enteric-toxaemic death is not known, but it seems most likely to be due to absorption of a toxin, probably endotoxic, from the small intestine. (3) The enteric form Calf diarrhea characterized by diarrhea. If physiological disturbances are severe, the calf may die, but the disease is not always fatal. Diarrheic death has been shown to be due severs body fluids disturbances have shoe that a high immunoglobulin concentration in the blood dose not protect calves from getting diarrhea, but protects against death caused by diarrhea.

Susceptibility
Age susceptibility the disease is most common in neonates 2-10 days.it may occurs early as 12-18 hours after birth & occasionally occur in calves up to 3 weeks age.

Transmission :

Pathogenesis
Septicemia Results from the presence of invasive strain of E.coli in depraved colostrums calves Entrotoxemic form; in the first few days of life Enterotoxgenicstrain colonize,proliferate & produce; enterotoxin Which are cable of producting; hypotension, vascular collapse & hypohermia Enteric colibacillosis

This occur with non invasive enteric strains which elabourate ,Verocell cytotoxcin

Clinical signs
Septicemia Newborn calves are commonly affected with this form there are (1) The majority of the cases of colisepticaemia occur in the first first few days of life and follow an acute fatal course. Such calves may be found dead without being observed ill . (2) Calves observed sick are febrile, depressed and weak . They have elevated respiratory and heart rates. (3) In some cases the course is more prolonged and E.coli localize in the tissues of one or more organ systems , thus a variety of clinical syndrome is possible . (4) Apparently E.coli have a predilection for joint cavities and meninges, resulting in polyarthritis and meningitis or both in certain individuals. Calves with polyarthritis are alert, unwilling to stand or walk, and in time become emaciated and depressed, such animals usually die but may recover after prolonged course with careful nursing and proper therapy.

Clinical signs
Enterotoxmic form
Most common 3- 5 days of age. It is characterized by sudden collapse & death at short time 2-6 hours.Clinical signs include;Coma, subnormal temperature,sunken eye,collapse of superficial vein,no scouring is evident,slowness and irregularity of the heart.The prognosis for these case is poor & the calves commonly die within few hours.

Clinical signs
Enteric form
Calves from one week of age and up to the adult animals are most commonly affected with this form with occasional cases of chronic enteritis . The clinical signs include : (1) Rise of temperature (40 - 41oC). (2) Severe watery diarrhea the colour of the faeces different in some outbreaks,yellow & watery while in other its white & PASTY WITH RANCID SMELL (3) Complete anorexia : (4) Great thirst . (5) Redden mucus membrane . (6) Rapid pulse and respiration . (7) Abdominal pain . (8) Dehydration . (9) Sunken eyes.s (10) Recumbency . (11) Calves loose condition very quickly, with miserable appearance and die within 2-5 days .

Postmortem examination

Septicemia & Enterotoxemic

There may be no gross lesions & diagnosis depended on the isolation of E.coli in pure culture from heart blood.There is evidence of septicemia in this form in which extensive submucosal and sub serous petechial hemorrhages .

Postmortem examination
Enteric form
(a) Extreme dehydration . (b) Varying degrees of distension of the rear quarters and tail with fluid. (c) Pasting of the rear quarters and tail with fluid or semisolid faeces. As a result of distension of the intestinal walls, they are thin atonic and translucent. The ingesta are malodorous, usually contain some mucus and gas, as well as chunks of partially digested milk .

Postmortem examination
Chronic enteritis
(1) In cattle the chronic form is usually manifested by discrete area of necrosis of the wall of the cecum and colon (ulcerative colitis). (2) Calves, which survive the acute enteric form, develop bilateral bronchopneumonia and polyarthritis.

diagnosis
(1) History & clinical signs (2) Morbidity ,Mortility & Postmortem examination (3) Laboratory diagnosis

Treament.

*Reduction of exposure of the calf to the infectious agents. *Calves should be born in a well bedded cleaned box stall. *Clean the perineum & udder of the cow before calving. *Navel of the calves should be swabbed with 2% iodine. *Tying the navel at the level of the abdominal wall. *Proper nutrition & non polluted microclimate. *Minimize cold & Heat stress. *Avoid over crowding. *Apply hygienic measure during parturition. *Avoidance rsing a group of calves at different ages.

*Provide a maximum non specific resistance. *Adequate colostrum. *Optimum animal management.

Control
Increase the specific resistance of the newborn by the vaccination of the dam or newborn.