THE ETIOLOGY OF INFECTIOUS DIARRHEA (WINTER SCOURS) IN CATTLE.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Microbiology
• Animal Pathology

Background:

• A severe diarrheal disease affecting cows, characterized by dark, bloody feces and intestinal inflammation, was observed.
• Key pathological findings included catarrhal inflammation of the small intestine and liver degeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the causative agent of the described bovine diarrheal disease.
• To experimentally reproduce the disease in calves to confirm the etiology.

Main Methods:

• Feces from naturally infected cows were administered to calves to induce disease.
• Vibrios were isolated from the intestinal tracts of affected calves.
• Pure cultures of isolated Vibrios were fed to healthy calves to assess pathogenicity.

Main Results:

• Calves fed feces from affected cows developed a milder form of the disease with similar enteritis.
• Vibrios were successfully cultivated from experimentally infected calves.
• Oral administration of pure Vibrio cultures induced diarrhea and enteritis in some calves, consistent with the natural disease.

Conclusions:

• Vibrios are implicated as the causative agents of this specific bovine diarrheal disease.
• Experimental reproduction of the disease supports the role of Vibrios in bovine enteritis.
• Further investigation into Vibrio strains and their pathogenicity in cattle is warranted.