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CHANGES IN INTESTINAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF NEONATAL CALVES INFECTED WITH REOVIRUS‐LIKE AGENT AND ESCHERICIA COLI
Author(s) -
Halpin C. G.,
Caple I. W.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1976.tb05384.x
Subject(s) - veterinary medicine , chemistry , library science , medicine , computer science
Measurements of villus/crypt length ratio and mucosal beta-galactosidase activity were made on calves less than 3 weeks of age which had diarrhoea associated with reovirus-like agent and E. coli. In calves with diarrhoea, the villus/crypt length ratios at all sites examined along the small intestine were less than in normal calves of similar age. This was attributed to a reduction in length of vili in calves infected with the reovirus-like agent. The activity of mucosal beta-galactosidase in the intestine of calves with diarrhoea was less than in normal calves, at all sites examined. A relationship existed between beta-galactosidase activity in vitro and lactose hydrolysis in vivo. It was concluded that calves with diarrhoea associated with reovirus-like agent, have a reduced ability to utilize dietary lactose.