Haemato-biochemical Changes and Antibiotic Sensitivity to <i>Eschericia coli</i> Associated with Concurrent Enteric and Septicaemic Infection in Calves

Abstract

Concurrent enteric and septicaemic Escherichia coli infection was recorded in six local calves aged between 8 to 12 months old for the first time in Bangladesh during the period from May to June 2002. Bacteriologic examination of both the faecal and blood samples of six febrile calves showed positive for E. coli of all the six faecal (100%) and only two blood (33.33%) samples. Clinical examination revealed significantly (p < 0.01) high rectal temperature at peak febrile stage which varied from 103.5 to 106°F with a mean of 104.7 ± 0.85°F. The fever associated signs and clinical anaemia were recorded in all these calves. Haematological examination showed significantly (p < 0.01) decreased haemoglobin (5.58 ± 0.45 g%), packed cell volume (19.83 ± 1.95 %), total erythrocytic count (3.52 ± 0.58  10⁶/ mm³) and total leukocytic count (6.68 ± 0.44  10³ / mm³) which indicates anaemia and leukopenia at the peak febrile stage of the disease. Biochemical studies showed significantly (p < 0.05) increased that serum magnesium and iron values were at fever stage, whereas serum phosphorus significantly (p < 0.01) decreased at the 4^th day (convalescent stage) but no significant (p > 0.05) change was observed with the serum calcium, sodium, potassium and chloride values between prefever and fever stage. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of E. coli isolated from faecal and blood samples revealed that these isolates were found to be resistant to penicillin, ampicillin and amoxycillin, moderately sensitive to gentamicin and streptomycin but highly sensitive to tetracycline. This indicates that tetracycline could be the drug of choice for both the septicaemic and enteric E. coli infection in calves.

Key words: Haematobiochemical; Escherichia coli; enteric; septicemic; infection; calves

DOI = 10.3329/bjvm.v1i1.1916

Bangl. J. Vet. Med.  (2003). 1(1) : 39 - 43