This study reports the experimental transmission of Borrelia anserina to domestic chickens by infected Argas (Persicargas) miniatus. Clinical alterations as well as prepatent and patent periods were evaluated. Twenty-seven 67-day-old birds were divided into three groups in a randomized experimental design. The first group was exposed to ticks infected with B. anserina, the second group was exposed to noninfected ticks, and the third group was not exposed to ticks. Blood smears from each bird of groups 1 and 2 were prepared daily and examined for 25 days postexposure (PE). Examination of the blood smears from birds in group 1 revealed large numbers of spirochetes from days 5 to 12 PE. In this group the prepatent and patent periods were 5-7 and 4-7 days, respectively. Birds from group 1 presented ruffled feathers, pale combs, drowsiness, inappetence, loss of weight, and greenish diarrhea after day 6 PE. The current study confirms the viability of experimental transmission of B. anserina to domestic chickens by A. (P.) miniatus.

The prevalence of and possible risk factors for tuberculosis were studied in water buffalo from Pará, Brazil. In this study, 3,917 pregnant and nonpregnant female Murrah and Mediterranean buffaloes were studied; 2,089 originated from Marajó Island, and 1,108 were from the mainland. The comparative cervical tuberculin test was used as a diagnostic test for tuberculosis in these animals. The prevalence of positive buffaloes was 3.5 % (100/2,809) on Marajó Island and 7.2 % (80/1,108) on the mainland. The municipalities with the highest tuberculosis prevalence rates in animals were Ipixuna do Pará (10.1 %), Marapanim (9.8 %), Chaves (9.4 %), Paragominas (8.6 %), and Cachoeira do Arari (6.7 %). The tuberculosis prevalence was not significantly different between the Murrah (4.3 %) and Mediterranean (4.8 %) breeds or between pregnant (5 %) and nonpregnant (4.3 %) buffaloes. Tuberculosis was detected in water buffaloes from Pará, Brazil; the mainland buffalo exhibited the highest tuberculosis prevalence. These results indicate that this disease is dangerous to public health and buffalo farming in Pará.

To evaluate the prevalence and possible risk factors for brucellosis caused by Brucella abortus in water buffaloes in the state of Pará, Brazil, 3,917 female buffalo serum samples from pregnant and non-pregnant animals were examined: 2,809 from Marajó Island and 1,108 from the mainland. The buffered acidified plate antigen (BAPA) screening test positively diagnosed 4.8% (188/3,917) of the animals with brucellosis, and the 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) confirmatory test affirmed 95.7% (180/188) of the results. The brucellosis prevalence was 4.17 times greater in mainland animals than on Marajó Island, with the highest prevalence in Tailândia (11.30%) and Paragominas (12.38%). Brucellosis seroprevalence was significantly influenced (p < 0.05) by reproductive status, with pregnant females being most vulnerable. These results demonstrate that brucellosis infection is active in the Brazilian region containing the largest buffalo population and that this disease poses a threat to public health and buffalo production in Pará.

Babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and trypanosomosis are relevant diseases, potentially causing morbidity in cattle, leading to economic losses. Borreliosis is import as a potential zoonosis. The objective of this study was to determine, by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the frequency of seropositive cattle to Babesia bigemina, B. bovis, Anaplasma marginale, Trypanosoma vivax and Borrelia burgdorferi in cattle from the Northeastern region of Pará, Brazil. Sera samples from 246 female adult cattle from municipalities of Castanhal and São Miguel do Guamá were used. Crude antigens ELISAs were used to detect antibodies to all agents, except to A. marginale, to which an indirect ELISA with recombinant major surface 1a protein (MSP1a) antigen was used. Overall frequencies of seropositive animals were: B. bigemina -99.2%; B. bovis -98.8%; A. marginale -68.3%; T. vivax -93.1% and B. burgdorferi -54.9%. The frequencies of seropositive cattle to B. bovis and B. bigemina suggest a high rate of transmission of these organisms by tick in the studied region, which can be classified as enzootically stable to these hemoprotozoans. The low frequency of seropositive cattle to A. marginale may be attributed to a lower sensitivity of the recombinant antigen ELISA utilized or a distinct rate of inoculation of this rickettsia by ticks, as compared with Babesia sp. transmission. The high frequency of seropositive cattle to T. vivax indicates that this hemoprotozoan is prevalent in herds from the Northeastern region of Pará. The rate of animal that showed homologues antibodies to B. burgdorferi indicates the presence of the tickborne spirochaetal agent in the cattle population in the studied region.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether season, lactation number, breed standard and milk production were risk factors relating to occurrences of gastrointestinal nematodes in dairy cows during the peripartum period. Eighty-four cows were randomly selected through proportional stratified sampling. In order to analyze the fecal egg per gram (EPG) count, the data were subjected to the Spearman test, Kruskal-Wallis test at 5% significance and linear regression. At the time of calving, the cows showed high EPG counts in relation to all variables analyzed. Among the animals studied, we observed that purebred Holstein cows at their first lactation and with high milk production showed high EPG counts (600) and comprised the group most at risk within the herd studied. In this group, the animals showed moderate EPG during the prepartum period (300) and a significant increase (p < 0.01) in EPG count from the time of calving (900), i.e. an increase of the order of 300%. Selection of animals for milk production in tropical countries should be based not only on productive potential, but also on adaptive features.Keywords: Season, lactation number, breed standard, milk production. ResumoO objetivo foi investigar a estação do ano, número de lactações, padrão racial e produção de leite como fatores de risco relacionados à ocorrência de helmintos gastrintestinais em vacas durante o periparto. Foram selecionadas randomicamente 84 vacas através de amostragem estratificada proporcional. Para análise dos resultados da contagem de ovos por grama de fezes (OPG), foram utilizados os testes de Spearman , Kruskal-Wallis a 5% de significância e regressão linear. Entre os fatores de risco avaliados, o parto esteve associado à elevada contagem de OPG em todos os grupos estudados. Por ocasião do parto, as vacas apresentaram alta contagem de OPG em relação a todas as variáveis analisadas. Dentre os animais estudados, observou-se que vacas holandesas puras de primeira lactação e de alta produção leiteira apresentaram elevada contagem de OPG (600), constituindo o grupo de maior risco dentro do rebanho estudado. Nesse grupo, observou-se que os animais apresentaram contagem de OPG moderada no pré-parto (300), com aumento significativo (p < 0.01) na contagem de OPG a partir do parto (900), na ordem de 300%. A seleção de animais para produção de leite, nos países tropicais, deve ser baseada não somente no potencial produtivo, mas também nas características adaptativas.Palavras-chave: Estação do ano, número de lactação, padrão racial, produção leiteira.

No abstract

The main aim of this study was to determine the distribution of populations of gastrointestinal helminths in lactating crossbred cows and calves during the grazing season in an organic milk production system. In addition, the potential importance of the peripartum in relation to the parasite load was examined. Between January 2007 and December 2008, parasitological fecal examinations were performed on cattle belonging to the Integrated Animal Production Program of Embrapa Agrobiology. The cows' parasite load remained low during the study period, and there were no statistical differences (p > 0.05) in comparisons between the seasons. The average egg count showed a positive correlation (0.80) with the peripartum, such that egg elimination per gram (p < 0.05) was higher during the week of labor than during the pre and postpartum periods. Calves showed low parasite loads, with significantly higher egg elimination (p < 0.05) during the winter. The study indicated that infection with gastrointestinal helminths was not a limiting factor for milk production in the organic system. Specifically, it was concluded that the nematode load can be maintained at moderate levels throughout the production system, even in the absence of anthelmintic treatment.

Some tick species have been described parasitizing buffaloes, but reports from Brazil are rare. This study aimed to ascertain the species of ticks that parasitize buffaloes in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Seventeen farm properties were visited between June 2008 and December 2009, and buffaloes were inspected in relation to infestation. The ticks were identified and a semi-structured questionnaire on parasitism and treatment against ticks was filled out through interviews with the owners. The species identified were Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Dermacentornitens and Amblyommacajennense. It was noted that 82.3% (14/17) of the properties visited presented animals infested with ticks, although 76.5% (13/17) had been administering acaricide treatment. Buffaloes in the state of Rio de Janeiro are often parasitized by ticks, especially in the larval and nymph stages.