The aim of the present study was to test a pellet formulation of Monacrosporium thaumasium in a sodium alginate matrix in the biological control of goat gastrointestinal helminthiasis in a semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. An area of 2.4 ha was divided into three paddocks, with seven goats kept on each paddock, during the months of March to August 2011: group 1 received 3 g/10 kg live weight of M. thaumasium pellets (NF34a) twice a week; group 2 was given 0.2 mg/kg of 0.2 % moxidectin orally every 30 days; and group 3 received 3 g/10 kg live weight of pellets without fungus twice per week. Each month, two tracer goats was placed in each group for 30 days and then killed and necropsied. The M. thaumasium group showed a 34 % reduction in eggs per gram, higher packed cell volume rates and a lower parasitic load in the tracers compared with the other groups. The 0.2 % moxidectin group had weight gain of 5.7 kg; the M. thaumasium group, 3.6 kg; and the control group had an average reduction in weight of 1.1 kg. The use of M. thaumasium pellets may be effective as an alternative method to control goat gastrointestinal helminthiasis in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil.

Toxoplasma gondii and

Libyostrongylus douglassii is a gastrointestinal nematode parasite of ostriches that can cause up to 50% mortality in young birds. The objective of this study was to compare the predatory capacity of two isolates of the predatory fungi Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001 and CG722 isolates) and one of Arthrobotrys cladodes (CG719) on infective larvae (L 3 ) of L. douglassii under laboratory conditions, in 2% water-agar medium. The results showed that the fungi tested were effective in preying upon the L 3 of L. douglassii (P < 0.05), compared with the control group. However, there was no difference in predatory capacity between the fungi tested (P > 0.05) during the seven days of experimental testing. In comparison with the control, without fungus, there were significant decreases (P < 0.05) of 85.2% (AC001), 81.2% (CG722) and 89.2% (CG719) in the average numbers of L 3 of L. douglassii recovered from treatments with the isolates tested. In the present study, the three isolates of the predatory fungi D. flagrans (AC001 and CG722) and A. cladodes (CG719) were efficient at in vitro destruction of the L 3 of L. douglassii.Keywords: Nematophagous fungi, Duddingtonia flagrans, Arthrobotrys cladodes, Libyostrongylus douglassii, Struthio camelus. ResumoLibyostrongylus douglassii é um nematóide parasito gastrintestinal de avestruzes que pode causar até 50% de mortalidade em aves jovens. O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar a capacidade predatória de dois isolados de fungos predadores Duddingtonia flagrans (isolados AC001 e CG722) e um Arthrobotrys cladodes (CG719) sobre larvas infectantes (L 3 ) de L. douglassii em condições laboratoriais, em meio ágar-água 2%. Os resultados demonstraram que os fungos testados foram eficientes em predar as L 3 de L. douglassii (P < 0,05) em relação ao grupo controle. Contudo, não foi observada nenhuma diferença na capacidade predatória entre os fungos testados (P > 0,05) durante os sete dias do ensaio experimental. Em comparação ao controle, sem fungo, houve uma redução significativa (P < 0,05) de 85,2% (AC001); 81,2% (CG722) e 89,2% (C719) Research NoteISSN 0103-846X (impresso) / ISSN 1984/ ISSN -2961 Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet., Jaboticabal, v. 22, n. 1, p. 147-151, jan.-mar. 2013 Braga, F.R. et al.Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet.Ostriches (Struthio camelus) are poultry belonging to the ratite group. These birds present diurnal activity; they are reared in groups when young and for slaughter, and in couples or trios when used for reproduction (AICHINGER et al., 2007). The main breeds commercialized are African Black, Red Neck and Blue Neck. Among these, the one of greatest commercial importance is the African Black (S. camelus var. domesticus). Currently, the countries that are the greatest breeders of ostriches are: South Africa, Israel, Australia, Canada, United States, Italy, Spain, France and China (CARRER, 2004). In Brazil specifically, commercial rearing of ostriches is gaining greater economic importance due to the birds' good environmental adaptation and, in particular, the p...

The aim of this study was to verify the in vivo effectiveness of pumpkin seed (Curcubita pepo Linnaeus, 1753) in naturally infected ostriches in the Cariri zone, semiarid region of Paraíba State, Brazil. Forty-eight ostriches were used, African Black breed, of 14 to 36 months old, naturally infected by gastrointestinal nematodes. These animals were divided into four groups of 12 ostriches. Group 1 consists of animals treated with 0.5 g/kg live weight (l. w.) of pumpkin seed meal; group 2 received 1 g/kg l. w. of pumpkin seed meal; group 3 was treated with Albendazole 5 %, at the dosage of 1 mL/10 kg l. w.; and Group 4 was the control group and do not received treatment. Groups 1 and 2 received the treatment for three consecutive days, orally, at intervals of 7 days, totaling nine administrations. The Albendazole 5 % was administered one time, at the beginning of the experiment, according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The groups treated with pumpkin seed showed a significant decrease in egg counts per gram of feces (EPG), wherein group 2 (1 g/kg l. w.) was the most effective. The control and drug groups showed no reduction in EPG. The results of the present study demonstrate that the administration of pumpkin seed was effective in controlling gastrointestinal helminths in naturally infected ostriches.