Prev Vet Med. 2026 Jun 27;254:106947. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2026.106947. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Bovine astrovirus (BoAstV) has been frequently detected in the feces of bovine calves irrespective of presence or absence of diarrhea. However, information on its epidemiological determinants, such as associations with host-level factors, diarrhea, age or species susceptibility, and farm-level factors such as housing, feed, disinfection, and weaning, remains limited. The present study aimed to identify potential animal- and farm-level risk factors associated with BoAstV and animal-level risk factors for diarrhea in cattle and buffalo calves. A total of 134 rectal swab samples (67 from diarrheic and 67 from healthy animals) were collected from 44 dairy farms in 13 districts in northern India. Data on farm management and animal health practices were obtained from farm owners using structured questionnaires. Of the screened calves, 23.1% were positive for BoAstV, and 34% of the farms were positive for BoAstV. Statistical analysis indicated a higher BoAstV detection in dewormed calves (34.9%) than in non-dewormed calves (12%), identifying this as a statistically significant risk factor (p < 0.05). Dairy farms that practiced early weaning had a statistically higher occurrence of BoAstV (66.7%) than those that did not (28.9%) (p < 0.05). This study found no association between the presence of BoAstV and diarrhea (p > 0.05). Furthermore, no significant associations were identified between age, sex, species, housing type, feeding practices, vaccination, or disinfection methods. When comparing the occurrence of diarrhea in bovine calves, age was identified as a potential risk factor (P < 0.05); however, the presence of diarrhea was not influenced by sex, species, or deworming status. These findings emphasize that BoAstV may circulate subclinically within dairy herds of North India, with deworming identified as a significant risk factor for viral presence. The findings support a multifactorial etiology of calf diarrhea involving complex interactions between management practices and multiple enteric pathogens.
PMID:42364303 | DOI:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2026.106947
