Larvoscopic study on Dictyocaulus sp. in the faeces of beef cattle in northeastern Brazil

Abstract

The lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus has an important role in cattle health and productivity worldwide, since infections can lead to substantial economic losses. Despite its importance, few studies investigating the epidemiological aspects of infection by this parasite have been conducted. The aim of this study was to report the occurrence of lungworm infection in beef cattle herds reared in an area of livestock production in the northeastern region of Brazil. From September 2020 to August 2021, monthly fecal samples (n = 493) were collected from 46 beef cattle. Among all the animals assessed, lungworm larvae were detected in 8.7% (4/46). None of them presented any clinical sign suggestive of infection by lungworm parasites. Twenty larvae were retrieved, with the minimum number (n = 1) detected in October and December, and the maximum number (n = 13) in November. These presented a mean length of 363 μm (± 28.65 μm) and mean width of 19 μm (± 1.03 μm), and were morphologically similar to Dictyocaulus sp.. This study reports the occurrence of this parasite in this livestock production area. Lastly, local veterinarians need to be aware of inclusion of this parasite in the differential diagnosis of other respiratory infections in beef cattle.