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Aims: To determine inactivation of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and reduction of Escherichia coli and enterococci in cattle slurry added aqueous ammonia. Methods and Results: Escherichia coli, enterococci and non-viable C. parvum oocysts (DAPI+ PI+) were enumerated every second day for two weeks in cattle slurry amended with 60 mmol l-1 aq. ammonia and compared with untreated slurry at three temperatures. Regardless of temperature, the proportion of non-viable C. parvum oocysts increased significantly faster over time in slurry with added ammonia than raw slurry (p=0.021) corresponding to 62.0% higher inactivation (P=0.001) at day 14. Additionally, 91.8% fewer E. coli and 27.3% fewer enterococci was observed slurry added ammonia at day 14 compared raw slurry. Conclusion: The addition of aqueous ammonia to raw slurry significantly reduced the viability of C. parvum oocysts and numbers of bacterial indicators. Hence, ammonia is usable to lower pathogen concentrations in slurry prior before application to agricultural land. Significance and Impact of Study: Livestock waste is a valuable source of plant nutrients and organic matter, but may contain high concentrations of pathogens like Escherichia coli and Cryptosporidium spp. that can be spread in the environment, and cause disease outbreaks. However, die-off rates of pathogens in organic waste can increase following increasing ammonia concentrations.

Background: Fasciola hepatica, a trematode parasite (liver fluke), infects a wide range of host species causing fasciolosis. The disease is prevalent world-wide and causes considerable economic losses to the livestock industry. Fasciolosis is regarded as an emerging food-borne zoonosis. To promote awareness among farmers and to implement strategies to control the infection, this study examined the prevalence, spatial distribution and risk factors for F. hepatica infection in Danish cattle herds. Methods: A retrospective population based study was performed using meat inspection data of approximately 1.5 million cattle slaughtered in the period 2011 to 2013. Annual cumulative prevalence of recorded liver fluke findings was calculated for each year. Global and local spatial cluster analysis was used to identify and map spatial patterns of F. hepatica positive and negative herds to explore environmental indicators of infection. Herd level, trade and environmental risk factors were evaluated for association with infection using logistic regression. Herd infection status as predicted from the final risk factor model was compared with the observed status using heat maps to assess how well the model fitted the observed spatial pattern. Results: During the investigated period (2011–2013), an increase in annual herd prevalence was noted (2011–25.6%; 2012–28.4%; 2013–29.3%). The spatial analysis suggested significant clustering of positive and negative herds. Presence of streams, wetlands and pastures on farms showed a significant association with the presence of infection in cattle herds. Buying animals from positive herds was a risk factor on conventional farms. Additionally, risk of being infected with F. hepatica was higher in non-dairy herds of medium size (=30 and <100) when compared to dairy and large (=100) cattle herds. The observed spatial pattern could be reproduced by predictions of the risk factor model. Conclusions: This study showed an increase in annual herd l

Molecular and biological characteristics of a new species of Cryptosporidium from the feces of pigs (Sus scrofa) is described. Oocysts are structurally indistinguishable from those of Cryptosporidium parvum; they are passed fully sporulated, lack sporocysts, and measure 4.9-4.4 μm (mean = 4.6 μm) × 4.0-4.3 μm (mean = 4.2 μm); length to width ratio 1.1 (n = 50). Cryptosporidium suis is not transmissible to nude mice and is poorly infectious for cattle. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses at the 18S ribosomal RNA, heat shock protein 70, and actin gene loci demonstrate C. suis to be genetically distinct from all known species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium, and thus is named as Cryptosporidium suis.

Trichinella, muscle tissue, foxes, mice, decaying meat, degradation, reproductive capacity

zoology, parasitology, mouse, fox, trichinella spp, decaying muscle