Abstract:
Cryptosporidium is a parasitic protozoa that can cause diarrhea in dairy calves, especially in the
first month of life. A cross-sectional study design was conducted from January 2024 to October
2024 G.C. to estimate the magnitude of Cryptosporidium infection and its associated factors
among dairy calves in Harar and Dire Dawa cities and Haramaya district, Eastern Ethiopia. The
objective of the study was to estimate the magnitude of Cryptosporidium infections and their
associated factors in dairy calves. Feacal sample of calves (n = 360) with age groups ranging
from two weeks to 12 months was collected from 30 dairy farms. All samples were processed
using the modified Ziehl–Neelsen staining method. A well-structured questionnaire was
administered to collect data on associated risk factors of infection. The intensity of shedding
Cryptosporidium oocysts was semiquantitatively estimated according to the average number of
oocysts. The overall magnitude of Cryptosporidium infection in dairy calves was 13.6% (95%
CI, 18.6-79.5). The farm-level magnitude of Cryptosporidium oocyst shedding in calves was
43.3% (95% CI, 25.4-62.5). Multivariate logistic regression showed that calves raised in group
pens were 4 times more likely to become infected than those raised in individual pens (P=0.024).
Urban farms showed a 3 times higher risk of contracting the infection than farms in Peri-urban
areas (P=0.02). Cryptosporidium infection in dairy farm calves 2 weeks-3 months of age was 5
times more likely higher than those >7-12 months (P=0.003). More specifically, the odds of
having diarrhea due to Cryptosporidium infection in calves were 7 times greater than in calves
with normal fecal consistency (P=0.01). The magnitude of Cryptosporidium infection was high
in the dairy farms studied. Therefore, more studies are needed in detail on the magnitude and risk
factors that are essential to evaluate the impact of infection on the health and productivity of the
calf.
