Investigating gut permeability in neonatal calves with diarrhea: A case-control study

The objective of this case-control study was to assess gut permeability, measured through Cr-EDTA recovery, in healthy and diarrheic neonatal calves. The study was conducted at a commercial calf-rearing facility, where fecal consistency was monitored twice daily. Calves were categorized as diarrheic...

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Main Authors: Luiza S. Zakia, Diego E. Gomez, Michael A. Steele, Peter D. Constable, Stephen J. LeBlanc, David L. Renaud
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:JDS Communications
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666910225000195
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author Luiza S. Zakia
Diego E. Gomez
Michael A. Steele
Peter D. Constable
Stephen J. LeBlanc
David L. Renaud
author_facet Luiza S. Zakia
Diego E. Gomez
Michael A. Steele
Peter D. Constable
Stephen J. LeBlanc
David L. Renaud
author_sort Luiza S. Zakia
collection DOAJ
description The objective of this case-control study was to assess gut permeability, measured through Cr-EDTA recovery, in healthy and diarrheic neonatal calves. The study was conducted at a commercial calf-rearing facility, where fecal consistency was monitored twice daily. Calves were categorized as diarrheic if they had runny or watery feces, whereas those with normal fecal consistency, neutrophil count, and physical exam findings were considered healthy controls. Gut permeability assessment (Cr-EDTA: 0.1 g/kg BW administered orally 2 h after milk feeding) and blood bacterial culture were performed 24 h after onset of diarrhea. Plasma Cr concentration was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis tests, followed by Dunn's post hoc test, were used to compare Cr concentrations between groups. The study included 12 healthy calves and 11 diarrheic calves, with 5 diarrheic calves having bacteremia. Diarrheic calves had greater median (interquartile range) plasma Cr concentrations than healthy calves at 2 h (1.76 [0.92–2.34] mg/L vs. 0.59 [0.48–1.19] mg/L) and 4 h (2.07 [1.57–2.51] mg/L vs. 0.92 [0.77–1.66] mg/L) postadministration, respectively. Both bacteremic and nonbacteremic calves with diarrhea had greater plasma Cr concentrations at 2 h compared with healthy calves (bacteremic: 1.96 [1.76–2.03] mg/L; nonbacteremic: 1.42 [0.78–2.34] mg/L), but there was no difference between bacteremic and nonbacteremic calves. At 4 h postadministration, both bacteremic (2.00 [1.67–2.07] mg/L) and nonbacteremic (2.45 [1.57–3.66] mg/L) diarrheic calves had greater plasma Cr concentrations than healthy calves, with no difference observed between bacteremic and nonbacteremic groups. This study suggests an association between diarrhea and increased gut permeability in neonatal calves. Further studies are required to compare gut permeability in a larger cohort of bacteremic and nonbacteremic diarrheic neonatal calves.
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spelling doaj-art-be20c5ea094342bea5efd4a9a9c204962025-08-20T03:52:07ZengElsevierJDS Communications2666-91022025-05-016335035510.3168/jdsc.2024-0709Investigating gut permeability in neonatal calves with diarrhea: A case-control studyLuiza S. Zakia0Diego E. Gomez1Michael A. Steele2Peter D. Constable3Stephen J. LeBlanc4David L. Renaud5Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph ON N1G 2W1; Corresponding authorDepartment of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph ON N1G 2W1Department of Animal Biosciences, Animal Science and Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 1Y2College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph ON N1G 2W1Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph ON N1G 2W1The objective of this case-control study was to assess gut permeability, measured through Cr-EDTA recovery, in healthy and diarrheic neonatal calves. The study was conducted at a commercial calf-rearing facility, where fecal consistency was monitored twice daily. Calves were categorized as diarrheic if they had runny or watery feces, whereas those with normal fecal consistency, neutrophil count, and physical exam findings were considered healthy controls. Gut permeability assessment (Cr-EDTA: 0.1 g/kg BW administered orally 2 h after milk feeding) and blood bacterial culture were performed 24 h after onset of diarrhea. Plasma Cr concentration was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis tests, followed by Dunn's post hoc test, were used to compare Cr concentrations between groups. The study included 12 healthy calves and 11 diarrheic calves, with 5 diarrheic calves having bacteremia. Diarrheic calves had greater median (interquartile range) plasma Cr concentrations than healthy calves at 2 h (1.76 [0.92–2.34] mg/L vs. 0.59 [0.48–1.19] mg/L) and 4 h (2.07 [1.57–2.51] mg/L vs. 0.92 [0.77–1.66] mg/L) postadministration, respectively. Both bacteremic and nonbacteremic calves with diarrhea had greater plasma Cr concentrations at 2 h compared with healthy calves (bacteremic: 1.96 [1.76–2.03] mg/L; nonbacteremic: 1.42 [0.78–2.34] mg/L), but there was no difference between bacteremic and nonbacteremic calves. At 4 h postadministration, both bacteremic (2.00 [1.67–2.07] mg/L) and nonbacteremic (2.45 [1.57–3.66] mg/L) diarrheic calves had greater plasma Cr concentrations than healthy calves, with no difference observed between bacteremic and nonbacteremic groups. This study suggests an association between diarrhea and increased gut permeability in neonatal calves. Further studies are required to compare gut permeability in a larger cohort of bacteremic and nonbacteremic diarrheic neonatal calves.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666910225000195
spellingShingle Luiza S. Zakia
Diego E. Gomez
Michael A. Steele
Peter D. Constable
Stephen J. LeBlanc
David L. Renaud
Investigating gut permeability in neonatal calves with diarrhea: A case-control study
JDS Communications
title Investigating gut permeability in neonatal calves with diarrhea: A case-control study
title_full Investigating gut permeability in neonatal calves with diarrhea: A case-control study
title_fullStr Investigating gut permeability in neonatal calves with diarrhea: A case-control study
title_full_unstemmed Investigating gut permeability in neonatal calves with diarrhea: A case-control study
title_short Investigating gut permeability in neonatal calves with diarrhea: A case-control study
title_sort investigating gut permeability in neonatal calves with diarrhea a case control study
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666910225000195
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