Prevalence of Cryptosporidium in calves in the Ubaté - Chiquinquirá valley (Colombia).

To contribute to the knowledge of cryptosporidiosis, recognize the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in calves and associate the presence of oocysts to the fecal consistence, a study was executed, collecting 170 samples of fecal material of calves, aged between five and 35 days, within 41 ranches located in the Ubaté-Chinquinquirá valley. In order to identify the Cryptosporidium oocysts the Heine technique was employed. Thirty seven (22%) of the 170 calves were positive and 18 (44%) of the 37 ranches showed at least one positive animal. The statistical analysis revealed an association between age and the presence of oocysts (X2 15; P<0.01). The highest prevalence was found in calves between age 11 to 15 and 16 to 20 days, presenting significant differences when comparing these two age groups with the other ones examined. Statistically, no association between the presence or absence of Cryptosporidium and the consistence of the fecal material was detected (X2 1.3; P>0.25). When comparing the fecal consistence with the infection intensity, no association was found (X2 1.7; P>0.42), result that confirms the high number of asymptomatic calves in the Ubaté-Chiquinquirá valley. The outcome of this research indicates an ample distribution of Cryptosporidium infection in the cattle ranches of the geographic area under survey.