No abstract

Gastrointestinal helminthiasis represents an obstacle to goat raising, causing severe damage to herds such as growth retardation, weight loss, and even death. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated to goat gastrointestinal helminthiasis in the Sertão region of Paraíba State, Brazil. A total of 256 goats from 54 farms were systematically sampled. Blood and fecal samples were collected from each animal for egg per gram (EPG), larval culture, and packed cell volume (PCV) analyses. We found that 79.3% of the goats investigated were parasitized with gastrointestinal helminths. Significant correlation (p = 0.004) was observed between the EPG and PCV of the animals studied, and it was observed that the EPG increases as the PCV decreases. In the larval culture, the most prevalent helminth was Haemonchus sp. (83.2%). Age and sex were significant variables (p ≤ 0.20) for the development of gastrointestinal helminths: 86.8% of animals over 36 months of age and 81.7% of females were infected. The variable type of animal exploitation was also significant, with 90.3% (p ≤ 0.20) of the animals presenting double suitability (milk and meat). The Sertão region of Paraíba State presents high prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthiasis in goats, and age and type of animal exploitation are the most relevant risk factors to the development of these parasites.

This study aimed to evaluate coadministration of Duddingtonia flagrans and Monacrosporium thaumasium in a sodium alginate matrix for controlling gastrointestinal helminths in young and adult sheep in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil. An area of 1ha was divided into two paddocks, in which two experimental groups (fungus and control) were formed, each consisting of six adult females and ten young males. In each group, two subgroups were formed in accordance with the animal category (adult or young). In the fungus group, each animal received 3g of pellets containing 0.6g of fungal mycelium, with 0.3g of D. flagrans and 0.3g of M. thaumasium for each 10 kg of body weight, in their feed twice a week, for six months. In the control group, each animal received 3g of pellets without fungus for each 10 kg of body weight, in their feed twice a week, for six months, serving as a witness group. Reductions in numbers of eggs per gram of feces of 76% among the adult sheep in the fungus group and 83% among the young sheep in the fungus group were observed, in comparison with their respective control subgroups. The groups that received these fungi needed less salvage deworming and presented better packed cell volume percentages, better weight gain and lower levels of L3/kg dry matter in their paddock than the control groups. Thus, it was concluded that coadministration of D. flagrans and M. thaumasium was effective in controlling gastrointestinal helminths of adults and young sheep in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil.

No abstract

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for C. tenuicollis among goats and sheep in slaughterhouses in Paraíba. 390 animals (195 goats and 195 sheep) in the municipalities of Patos and Esperança, Paraíba, Brazil, were inspected between February and May 2014. The prevalence of C. tenuicollis was 39% (76/195) in goats and 17.4% (34/195) in sheep. In both species, most of the cysticerci vesicles were located at the omentum and mesentery. The only risk factor found was extensive sheep farming. It can be concluded that C. tenuicollis is highly prevalent in small ruminants in Paraíba, being more prevalent in goats than in sheep. Extensively-reared sheep were twice as likely to develop infection by this parasite.Keywords: Goat and sheep farming, cestode, Taenia hydatigena. ResumoObjetivou-se determinar a prevalência e os fatores de riscos de C. tenuicollis em caprinos e ovinos nos matadouros da Paraíba. Foram inspecionados 390 animais (195 caprinos e 195 ovinos) nos municípios de Patos e Esperança, Paraíba, Brasil, no período de Fevereiro a Maio de 2014. A prevalência de C. tenuicollis em caprinos foi de 39% (76/195) e em ovinos de 17,4% (34/195). Os locais mais acometidos por C. tenuicollis nas duas espécies foram o omento e o mesentério. O único fator de risco encontrado foi a produção extensiva de ovinos. Pode-se concluir que é alta a prevalência de C. tenuicollis em pequenos ruminantes no Estado da Paraíba, sendo mais prevalente na espécie caprina; e que ovinos criados de forma extensiva apresentam duas vezes mais riscos de contrais a infecção por este parasita.Palavras-chave: Caprinovinocultura, cestódeo, Taenia hydatigena.

No abstract

This study evaluated, for the first time, the genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from free-range chickens from the state of Paraíba, Northeast Brazil. Tissue samples from 33 chickens from properties in five municipalities of Paraíba (Esperança, Olho d'Água, Malta, Monteiro, and Patos) were bioassayed in mice. The brains of mice infected with T. gondii cysts were used for DNA extraction and genotyping. Genotyping was performed using 11 PCR-RFLP markers and 15 microsatellite (MS) markers. Complete genotyping results were obtained for 29 isolates, with nine genotypes detected by RFLP and 15 genotypes identified by MS. Three genotypes (#273, #274, and #277) have only been recently identified from pigs in the region. Brazilian clonal types BrII and BrIII were identified from one isolate each. Clonal types I, II, and III were not detected by RFLP. Genotype #13 (Caribbean 1), detected in 48.3% (14/29) of isolates from four of the five municipalities investigated, was the most prevalent genotype in the state of Paraíba. However, the MS analysis showed that of these 14 isolates, only four were unique genotypes, and considering the distance between the municipalities from where they were collected, it is possible that only seven are independent isolates while the others are clones. The other genotypes were restricted to different microregions. The results indicate that the Caribbean 1 lineage of T. gondii is circulating widely in Northeast Brazil. The genotypic diversity of T. gondii in the state of Paraíba is high, and microsatellite analysis revealed this diversity with higher resolution than PCR-RFLP.

The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence and isolation of Toxoplasma gondii in free-range chickens in the state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. For this, blood samples were collected from 483 chickens in five municipalities in the state of Paraíba. The indirect immunofluorescence assay for anti-T. gondii antibodies was performed. The seropositive birds were slaughtered, and their brains and hearts were collected in order to perform a bioassay in mice. An epidemiological questionnaire was applied on the smallholdings visited, and univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to evaluate risk factors. The prevalence of chickens seropositive for T. gondii was found to be 31.5 % (152/483), and 86.1 % (56/65) of the smallholdings were positive. Among the 71 chickens subjected to bioassaying in mice, isolates of T. gondii were obtained from 33 (46.5 %). The isolates were named TgCkBrPB1 to 33. It was observed that the higher the chickens' antibody titer was, the greater the chance of isolating the parasite also was. Sixteen of the 33 isolates (48.5 %) were lethal for all the mice inoculated until 30 days post-inoculation. The risk factors for infection with T. gondii among these free-range chickens were extensive and semi-extensive rearing systems, smallholdings located in urban areas, and presence of cats. The results indicate that the prevalence of T. gondii among chickens in the state of Paraíba is high. Many parasites remained viable in the tissues of the birds studied, and presence of the protozoan was directly related to the management of these birds.