Larva migrans visceral e cutânea são zoonoses parasitárias causadas pela infecção da larva de Toxocara sp. e Ancylostoma sp., respectivamente. O objetivo do estudo foi verificar a contaminação por ovos de Toxocara sp. e ovos e larvas de Ancylostoma sp. em amostras de solos coletadas de praças públicas e de áreas de recreação infantil de Lavras, Estado de Minas Gerais, por meio da técnica de centrífugo-flutuação e do método de Baermann. A ocorrência de ovos de Toxocara sp. e, ovos e larvas de Ancylostoma sp. foi observada em 69,6% (16/23) das amostras de solo coletadas de praças públicas. A contaminação somente por ovos de Ancylostoma sp. em amostras de solo coletadas em escolas/creches foi de 22,2% (4/18). A percentagem de amostras de areia coletadas de escolas/creches contaminadas somente com larvas de Ancylostoma sp. foi de 11,1% (2/18). Praças públicas são as áreas com maior risco potencial de infecção por Toxocara sp. e Ancylostoma sp. Exame coproparasitológico realizado em 174 amostras de fezes de cães observou 58% e 23%, respectivamente, com ovos de Ancylostoma sp. e Toxocara sp.

Resumo O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar uma avaliação parasitológica em amostras de alface (Lactuca sativa) comercializadas em Lavras, MG. As amostras de alfaces apresentaram baixos padrões higiênicos, indicados pela presença de formas parasitológicas de origem animal ou humana e alta concentração de coliformes fecais. Palavras-chaves: Hortaliças. Alface. Parasitas intestinais. Coliformes fecais.Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the parasitological contamination in samples of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) commercialized in Lavras city, Minas Gerais. The samples of lettuce showed low hygienic conditions, indicated by the presence of parasites of animal or human origin and high concentration of fecal coliforms.

The development of Babesia equi in salivary glands of adult female Boophilus microplus was observed under a light microscope using semithin sections stained with toluidine blue. Engorged nymphs were obtained from splenectomized foals experimentally infected with B. equi. As adults, they were then fed on rabbits for 5 days and the salivary glands of manually collected individuals were removed at intervals of 24 h. Sporozoites were found in type III granular acini cells between the 2nd and 5th days following feeding on the rabbits. Sporoblasts and sporozoites were observed in the same or adjacent acini cells in all the glands examined. The formation of the sporozoites occurred following the multiple division of the sporoblasts through a process of radial budding from the periphery of bodies resulting from multiple fission. Sporozoites were detected in smears of adult males stained with Giemsa, between the 2nd and 5th days following feeding by the ticks. Adults of B. microplus, fed during the nymphal phase on foals with patent parasitemia, transmitted sporozoites of B. equi to a splenectomized foal. The role of B. microplus in the transmission and epidemiology of B. equi is discussed.

The frequency of species of the genus Eimeria in a dairy herd in the municipality of Boa Esperança, Southern region of the State of Minas Gerais was assessed. From 37 females of the Friesian breed aged three to seven months, 259 feces samples were analyzed between May and September 2008. The examinations to quantify oocysts per gram of feces (OPG) and identify Eimeria species were conducted at the Veterinary Parasitology Laboratory of the Federal University of Lavras. Eleven species of Eimeria were identified, namely: E. bovis (23.2%), E. zuernii (22.6%), E. ellipsoidalis (20.3%), E. cylindrica (14.1%), E. subspherica (5.4%), E. canadensis (3.5%), E. alabamensis (2.4%), E. auburnensis (2.4%), E. pellita (2.1%), E. brasiliensis (2%) and E. bukidnonensis (1.9%). E. bovis, E. zuernii and E. ellipsoidalis were the most frequent and the ones with the highest oocyst shedding over time (p < 0.05). Differences in OPG counts were found between most months studied (p < 0.05). The large number of Eimeria species found, in particular E. bovis and E. zuernii, indicates that Eimeria sp. has significant pathogenic potential in dairy cattle in the South of Minas Gerais.

Neosporosis is an infectious disease caused by Neospora caninum, an obligate intracellular cyst-forming protozoan considered a major cause of miscarriage in dairy cattle in many parts of the world. This cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between reproductive abnormalities and seropositivity to N. caninum in 1,204 dairy cows from 40 farms located in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Producers were interviewed, and blood samples were collected to perform indirect immunofluorescence tests (IFAT 1:200). Association between reproductive abnormalities and seropositivity in cattle was evaluated with generalized estimating equations. The true herd-level seroprevalence of N. caninum was 95 % (83.3-99.1), while the individual-level true seroprevalence was 21.6 % (19.2-24.2). Several reproductive abnormalities were significantly associated with seropositivity to N. caninum: occurrence of repeated estrus (p=0.02; OR=3.84; 95 % CI=1.239-11.893), repeated miscarriages (p=0.001; OR=2.54; 95 % CI=1.423-5.402), and temporary anestrus (p=0.001; OR=3.44; 95 % CI=1.976-5.994). Furthermore, loose dogs (p=0.041; OR=2.20; 95 % CI=1.033-4.672) when fed raw meat (p=0.001; OR=1.91; 95 % CI=1.443-2.519) are risk factors for N. caninum infection. We observed that seropositivity to N. caninum in cattle increases risk of miscarriage by almost twice throughout the reproductive life of cows (p=0.004; OR=1.978; 95 % CI=1.249-3.131). Serologic evidence in this study indicates that N. caninum infection is widely distributed among dairy herds and significantly associated with reproductive disorders, especially miscarriage, repeated estrus, and temporary anestrus.

Congenital Neospora caninum infection was diagnosed in two Saanen goat kids from two distinct herds with a history of abortion and weak newborn goat kids in the Southern region of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The first kid was weak at birth, had difficulty to rise and was unable to nurse. Gross lesions of porencephaly and hydrocephalus ex vacuo were seen. Multifocal necrosis, gliosis and non-supurative encephalitis were observed in the brain. Several parasitic cysts with a thick wall that reacted strongly only with polyclonal antiserum to Neospora caninum were seen in the cerebral cortex, brain stem and cerebellum. The second kid was born from a Neospora caninum seropositive mother that aborted in the last pregnancy. It was born without clinical signs. The diagnosis of neosporosis was based on antibody titer of 1:800 to N. caninum by indirect fluorescence antibody test obtained from blood collected before the goat kid ingested the colostrum and Neospora caninum DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced from placenta. This is the first report of neosporosis in goats in the southeast region of Brazil.

Neosporosis is an important cause of abortion in cattle and information on their genetics and host parasite relationships are desirable. Neospora caninum samples obtained from 24 bovine fetuses from Minas Gerais, were genetically analyzed in part of the rDNA region, coding for rRNAs. Previously, brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscle, lung, kidney, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, ovary or testis, uterus and skin of the ear were analyzed by conventional histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Of these, eight had lesions compatible in the brain and heart and two also in skeletal muscle and liver. Three brains showed antigen identification in immunohistochemistry. Brain and heart tissues were subjected to DNA extraction for PCR, whose product of 588 bp of ITS-1 region was sequenced in three samples. We obtained 96% similarity with dozens of sequences N. caninum deposited in GenBank. The phylogenetic tree showed great conservation among isolates of N. caninum in this study and those deposited in GenBank, while welldefined and specific branches were generated against other Apicomplexa. PCR for this region is useful as a diagnosis, with good analytical specificity, but the ITS-1 region is not suitable for genetic differentiation intra species because the sequences obtained were identical to the others analyzed.Keywords: Bovine, diagnosis, phylogeny, Neospora caninum, PCR. ResumoA neosporose é uma importante causa de abortos em bovinos, e informações sobre sua genética e relação parasito-hospedeiro são desejáveis. Amostras de Neospora caninum, obtidas de 24 conceptos bovinos oriundos de Minas Gerais, foram analisadas geneticamente em parte da região rDNA, codificadora de rRNAs. Previamente, cérebro, coração, fígado, músculo esquelético, pulmão, rim, baço, timo, linfonodos, ovário ou testículo, útero e pele da orelha foram analisados por histopatologia convencional e imuno-histoquímica. Dessas, oito apresentaram lesões compatíveis no encéfalo e coração e dois também no músculo esquelético e fígado. Três cérebros apresentaram identificação antigênica na imuno-histoquímica. Tecidos cerebral e cardíaco foram submetidos a extração de DNA para PCR, cujo produto de 588 pb da região ITS-1 foi sequenciado em três amostras. Obteve-se similaridade de 96% com dezenas de sequências de N. caninum depositadas no GenBank. A árvore filogenética mostrou grande conservação entre isolados de N. caninum deste estudo e aqueles depositadas no GenBank, enquanto ramos bem definidos e específicos foram gerados em relação a outros apicomplexa. A PCR para esta região é útil como diagnóstico, com boa especificidade analítica, mas a região ITS-1 não é apropriada para a diferenciação genética intraespécie, pois as sequências obtidas foram idênticas às demais analisadas.

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