Apicomplexans in Goat: Prevalence of <i>Neospora caninum</i>, <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>, <i>Cryptosporidium</i> spp., <i>Eimeria</i> spp. and Risk Factors in Farms from Ecuador

Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, Cryptosporidium and Eimeria cause severe impacts on the productivity of goat herds. The objectives of the present study were to establish the prevalence of these apicomplexans in goat farms from Ecuador; to evaluate a rapid test for Cryptosporidium diagnosis and to identify the risk factors associated with the infections. A questionnaire was designed to obtain information from 24 goat farms from Zapotillo, Garza Real, Cazaderos, Limones and Paletillas parishes in Ecuador. Blood (n = 388) and feces (n = 391) samples were collected. Indirect ELISA and standard parasitological assays were carried out to evaluate the seroprevalence of N. caninum and T. gondii and to detect oocysts of Cryptosporidium and Eimeria. The overall prevalence values of N. caninum and T. gondii were 12.11% and 18.20%, Cryptosporidium spp. and Eimeria spp. oocysts were detected in 10.49% and 89.51% of the total samples. A low correlation value was found between the results obtained by Ziehl-Nielsen and the rapid test. The multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that vitamin supplementation, age of diarrhea, frequency of deworming, pasture area, presence of artiodactyls, domestic fowl, administration of sulfas, age group, body condition, abortions, type of pastures and the presence of cattle were risk factors according to the parasite species

Evidencia serológica de Anaplasma spp. en pequeños rumiantes de Venezuela utilizando MSP5 recombinante en ensayos inmunoenzimáticos

Anaplasma marginale causes a disease in cattle characterized by fever, anemia and decrease in milk and meat production. Small ruminants do not show signs of disease when infected, but it has been suggested they could act as reservoirs. Goat and sheep breeding is socially and economically important in arid and semi-arid areas in Venezuela, and these species often share space and food with cattle. The aim of this work was to detect antibodies against Anaplasma spp. in Venezuelan goat and sheep flocks. To accomplish this goal, an indirect ELISA using recombinant MSP5 as antigen of A. marginale was performed. Sera obtained from experimental infection in goat and a hyperimmune sheep serum were used as positive controls. Blood sera were obtained from 45 sheep and 48 goats located in Guárico State, an endemic area to bovine anaplasmosis. After standardization of assay for each species, 80.46% of the sheep and 59.25% of the goat sera showed to have antibodies against MSP5. No signs of clinical disease were detected in sampled animals. These results suggest that small ruminants could harbour A. marginale and consequently may be reservoirs for neighbouring cattle if appropriate vectors are present. The development of clinical diseases caused by A. marginale under stress situations and the existence of other Anaplasma species (e.g. A. ovis) in small ruminants should also be investigated.506 - [email protected] marginale ocasiona una enfermedad en los bovinos caracterizada por fiebre, anemia y disminución de la producción de leche y carne. Los pequeños rumiantes generalmente no muestran signos clínicos, por lo que pudieran actuar como reservorio. En Venezuela, los ovinos y caprinos tienen gran importancia económica y socialmente en zonas áridas y semi- áridas e incluso, en muchas ocasiones comparten su espacio y alimento con los bovinos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue detectar anticuerpos contra Anaplasma spp. en rebaños de ovinos y caprinos. Para ello, se estandarizó un ELISA indirecto con la MSP5 recombinante de A. marginale, empleando sueros provenientes de infecciones experimentales en caprinos y un suero hiperinmune ovino como controles positivos. Posteriormente, fueron obtenidos sueros sanguíneos de 45 ovinos y 48 caprinos localizados en una zona endémica a anaplasmosis bovina del estado Guárico. De estos, 80,46% de los ovinos y 59,25% de los caprinos presentaron anticuerpos que reconocieron la MSP5, sin embargo, ninguno de estos animales positivos presentaron signos clínicos de la enfermedad. Estos resultados sugieren que los pequeños rumiantes son portadores de A. marginale y por ende, pueden estar actuando como reservorio de la enfermedad para los bovinos en el caso que se encuentren los vectores apropiados. Por lo tanto, se debe profundizar en los estudios sobre el desarrollo de sintomatología clínica en condiciones de estrés y la existencia de otras especies de Anaplasma (como A. ovis) en los ovinos y caprinos de Venezuela

Estimation of Hepatozoon Canis infections by pcr in domestic dogs from la Vela de Coro, Falcon state, Venezuela

La hepatozoonosis es una de las enfermedades escasamente reconocidas en las consultas veterinarias debido a que se considera como oportunista en animales inmunocomprometidos. Aunque morfológicamente el parásito es distinguible al microscopio óptico, los casos portadores pasan fácilmente desapercibidos por la baja sensibilidad de esta técnica. El objetivo del trabajo fue determinar la presencia de dicho parásito en muestras sanguíneas caninas de La Vela de Coro, estado Falcón, Venezuela, mediante la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR). Para el logro de este objetivo se tomaron muestras de sangre a 62 caninos domésticos. Se aisló el ADN de cada una de las muestras con un kit comercial para luego ser sometido a la amplificación parcial del gen ARN18S con cebadores específicos para Hepatozoon canis. Simultáneamente se evaluaron las muestras mediante extendidos sanguíneos teñidos con Hemacolor®. La positividad por PCR fue de 27,41%, se observaron gamontes en neutrófilos en 4,86% de las muestras analizadas por microscopía. Estos resultados indican que la enfermedad está subdiagnosticada en las localidades de estudio y debido a que se carece de un tratamiento efectivo, es necesario ejecutar planes de control de garrapatas a fin de evitar la reinfección de los animales positivos y la propagación a los caninos cercanos.524-529BimestralHepatozoonosis is a barely recognized in daily veterinary cases because it is considered as an opportunistic disease in immunocompromised animals. Although the parasite is morphologically distinguishable by light microscopy, carrier cases are easily passed unnoticed due to low sensitivity of the technique. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of this parasite in canine blood samples of La Vela de Coro, Falcon State, Venezuela, through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. To achieve this goal, blood samples from 62 domestic dogs were obtained. DNA was isolated from each sample using a commercial kit and PCR was carried out to amplify a Hepatozoon canis RNA 18S partial gen using specific primers. Simultaneously, blood samples were analyzed by blood smears stained with Hemacolor®. A 27.41% of positive samples were determined by PCR; 4.86% of the samples had characteristic gamonts observed by microscopy. The results suggest that this disease is sub diagnosed in the localities under studies and in the absence of an effective treatment, strategies for tick control must be accomplished to avoid reinfection of the positive animals and spreading the disease to the neighboring dogs

Acaricidal Efficacy of Plants from Ecuador, <i>Ambrosia peruviana</i> (Asteraceae) and <i>Lepechinia mutica</i> (Lamiaceae) against Larvae and Engorged Adult Females of the Common Cattle Tick, <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i>

Control measures against common cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus are of the upmost importance because of considerable, deleterious impact on a farm’s economy. Due to resistance phenomena to synthetic acaricides being a constraint in affected farms, the search for plant derivatives as acaricides has increased dramatically in recent years. In this work, essential oils obtained from two Ecuadorian plants, Ambrosia peruviana and Lepechinia mutica (EOAp, EOLm), traditionally used as insecticides in indigenous communities, were studied on larvae and engorged females at the parasitic stages of R. microplus. Larvae and females were treated with five (0.0625, 0.125, 0.25, 0.50 and 1%) and six concentrations (0.125, 0.25, 0.50, 1, 2 and 4%), respectively, of each EOsAp/Lm. A 98–99% larval mortality was achieved with 0.5% of both EOsAp/Lm. EOAp inhibited oviposition and egg hatching up to 82% and 80%, respectively, and had an overall efficacy of 93.12%. Efficacy of EOLm was 72.84%, due to the low influence of EOLm on reproductive parameters. By steam distillation and GC-MS analysis, γ-Curcumene was identified as the main constituent (52.02%) in the EOAp and Shyobunol (10.80%) in EOLm. The results suggest that major components of both essential oils should be further studied as promissory acaricides against R. microplus