Escherichia coli

Brainard, Julii, Hooper, Lee, McFarlane, Savannah, Hammer, Charlotte C., Hunter, Paul R. & Tyler, Kevin, 2020, Systematic review of modifiable risk factors shows little evidential support for most current practices in Cryptosporidium management in bovine calves, Parasitology Research (3571) 119 (11), pp. 3571-3584 : 3581

Escherichia coli or other vaccines used

Three studies assessed dams receiving an E. coli vaccine (e.g. Ecostar, Scourgard or none) as a risk factor. Díaz et al. (2018) found E. coli vaccine had no effect on cryptosporidiosis in the offspring. Trotz-Williams 2007 found the vaccine strongly protective against shedding C. parvum oocysts (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.2–0.45), while the higher quality study, Trotz-Williams et al. (2008), found that the E. coli vaccine increased disease risk (adjusted OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.3–2.2). Trotz-Williams et al. (2008) also assessed another vaccine designed to prevent calf diarrhoea (First Defence, which claims to contain antibodies against bovine coronavirus and K99+ E. coli ). First Defence was also found to increase incidence of cryptosporidiosis (OR 1.38, 95%CI 1.06–1.81). The increased risk may be correlative; calves receiving the vaccine may have tended to be in herds that have more history of cryptosporidiosis. Evidence in favour of E. coli or similar vaccines was mixed and therefore inconclusive.