Prevalence of Eimeira Spp. Oocysts in Dairy Properties in Pelotas Region in Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil / Prevalência De Oocistos De Eimeira Spp. Em Propriedades Leiteiras Da Região De Pelotas No Rio Grande Do Sul, Brasil

Abstract

The South of Brazil has been occupying the first place in the ranking of milk production in the country and Rio Grande do Sul annually produces a total of 4.5 billion liters, positioning itself as the fifth largest producer in the country. These numbers could be better, were it not for the economic losses due to mortality, low productive performance and expenses, due to diseases such as coccidiosis. Eimeria penetrates the intestinal cells, multiplies, causing local lesions that impair digestive processes reducing the absorption of nutrients. The work aimed to carry out an epidemiological, retrospective survey of the prevalence of oocysts of Eimeria spp. on small dairy farms located in Pelotas region of RS. The results were obtained in the database of diagnoses performed in the laboratory of the Study Group on Parasitic Diseases (GEEP), at the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel). Results from 505 stool samples were used. Fecal samples were analyzed using the Gordon and Whitlock technique (1939) and the result expressed in oocysts per gram of feces. Of the analyzed samples, 54.65% (276/505) were positive for oocysts of this genus, with an average count of 545 oocysts per gram of feces. It is concluded that this protozoan has a high prevalence in dairy farms located in the Southern region of RS.