Epidemiologia das coccidioses em pequenos ruminantes no município de Ibimirim Estado de Pernambuco, Brasil

Abstract

Small ruminants production is an important activity specially as a protein source, meat, leather, milk and by-products processing throughout the Brazil. However with the lack of technical support in sheep and goat production systems some parasitic disease has been related including coccidiosis. The goal of this study is describe the epidemiology of some coccidia agents in goats and sheep from Ibimirim County, Pernambuco State, Brazil. A total of 400 animals, being 319 goats and 81 sheep from different farms were studied. First a total of 400 faecal samples were evaluated to identify the eimerian species. Coccidian unsporulated the sporulate oocysts were detected in 95.3% (381/400) and 97.5% (390/400) by using the McMaster technique and aqueous solution of dichromatic (K2Cr2O7) respectively. Eight species of Eimeria were identified: Eimeria arloingi E. ninakohlyakimovae, E. pallida, E. parva, E. intricata, E. ahsata, E. crandallis, E. faurei in goats and E. ahsata, E.crandallis, E. faurei, E. intricata, E. granulosa, E. parva and E. punctata in sheep. The other intestinal coccidia,Cryptosporidium sp oocyst was also identified in 3.7% (3/81), of sheep faeces samples by using Kinyon methodology. On the other hand a serological survey for antibodies to IgG antibodies anti- Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum by Imunofluorescent antibody test were carried out. The results of serology showed the prevalence of 57% (228/400) positive samples to T. gondii, being 58.9% (188/319) and 49.4% (40/81) in goats and sheep respectively. The antibody frequencies according to the age showed that the prevalence was influenced by the age (≤4 years old) of animals in both goats and sheep. The results of imunofluorescent antibody test to Neospora caninum showed 34.3% (137/400) of positive animals, being 26.6% (85/319) in goats and 64.2% (52/81) in sheep. Serologic reactivity was associated with age only in goats (p<0, 01). In conclusion, these results indicate theexposure of small ruminants living in the study area to coccidia of genus Eimeria, Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma and Neospora. However the frequency of infection of oocysts of Eimeria particularly Eimeria arloingi, E. ninakohlyakimovae em caprinos e Eimeria ahsata e E. crandallis age, and management practices might be consider in order decreasing the effect of these coccidia. In the other hand hygienic management practices should be adopted in these farms in order to prevent the infection of Toxoplasma gondii by the consumption of unpasteurized milk.