Detection of E.coli K99 and Rota virus antigens in diarrheic and healthy buffalo of Babil Province, Iraq

This study was conducted to detecte E.coli K99 and Rota virus antigens in both diarrheic and healthy buffalo of Babil province (Iraq) by using ELISA kit.100 Fecal samples were collected from (12 calves aged 3-11 day, 13 calves aged 1-9 months and 75 adults at age 1-5 years) during November 2013-April 2014.Out of the 44 E.coli isolates which had growth on EMB agar, 7(58.3%), 5(38.4%) and 18(24%) isolates for calves aged 3-11 day and 1-9 months and adults at age 1-5 years respectively were found to be positive E.coli K99 antigen. The percentage of infection with rota virus was 4(33.3%) in calves aged 3-11 day, 2(15.3%) in calves aged 1-9 months and 1 (1.3%) in 1-5 years. The results revealed a wide spread of E.coli K99 and rota virus between calves and adults buffalo (diarrheic and healthy animals), in which buffalo considered a reservoirs and a potential source of more important zoonotic enteropathogens