Aspectos epidemiológicos da infecção por Toxaplasma gondii (Nicolle e Manceaux, 1909) em caprinos e ovinos procedentes de diferentes mesorregiões do Estado de Pernambuco

Abstract

The present study was developed with the objective to evaluate the relation between the Toxoplasma gondii infection and the handling adopted in the properties of goat and sheep creation from different geographic regions of Pernambuco State, Brazil. The frequency of antibodies against the T. gondii in the related properties was evaluated by means of the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), analyzing 164 blood samples of goat and 124 of sheep, being the animals considered seropositives with titles ≥1:16. The existence of association was verified between the frequency of antibodies against T. gondii and inherent factors to the handling adopted in the creations, applying an investigative questionnaire for the attainment of information about the zootecnic and sanitary aspects of the flocks. Results were analyzed statistically using the Qui-square test and the Fisher's Exact test, considering the level of significance of 5.0%. It was observed 47.6% (78/164) and 48.4% (60/124) of seropositivity for goat and sheep respectively, having significant association between the infection taxes and the regions of creation, frequently bigger for the goat created in the Metropolitan Region of Recife and, in relation to the sheep, the biggest taxes of positivity had occurred in the Northern Wasteland. In the goat creations, factors of the productive handling had been more important in differences between the taxes of infection for T. gondii that the factors of the reproductive handling, such as the type of exploration, with higher seroprevalence for dairy goats (71.2%), intensive system of creation (78.9%) and the race, having the Saanen race (68.7%) of positivity, beyond factors of the hygienic-sanitary handling (type of land, existing facilities and frequency of the cleaning of the facilities). Amongst the sheep, the association of T. gondii infection was more important with factors of the hygienic-sanitary handling, showing significant associations with type of land, type of pen and frequency of the cleaning of the facilities. It is standed out that, in none of the host species the occurrence of reproductive disorders demonstrated to have absolute influence in the taxes of infection for T. gondii.