This work aimed to study the prevalence of rotavirus in diarrheic feces from bovine calves and the sensitive’s parameters such as age group and seasonal pattern. A total of 250 fecal samples were collected
from diarrheic bovine calves in different localities at Qaluobia province, Egypt all over the four seasons of
the years 2013 and 2014. These samples were tested for rotavirus antigen by sandwich Enzyme linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Rotavirus antigen was detected in 30% (75/250) of examined samples
with a prevalence of 32.9% (47/143) in cow calves and 26.2 % (28/107) in buffalo calves. The highest rate
of infection was recorded in the diarrheic calves within one week (46.6%) and two weeks (41.4%) of age.
Examined samples all over the four seasons of the years, 2013 and 2014 indicated the prevalence of
Rotavirus antigen by 43.1% (56/130) during winter, 20% (5/25) during summer, 21.4% (12/56) during
spring and 5.1% (2/39) during autumn. In conclusion, rotavirus was involved in the neonatal calves’ diarrhea, where its frequency was clearly higher in calves up to 2 weeks of life during winter season |
