Luiz da Silva Vieira

Nematódeos resistentes a anti-helmíntico em rebanhos de ovinos e caprinos do estado do Ceará, Brasil

The control of gastrointestinal nematodes parasitism is made basically with anthelmintics. Control failure is the first sign of anthelmintic resistance development. The actual situation of anthelmintic resistance prevalence in commercial farms of sheep and goats in Brazil is unknown. The aim of this work was to estimate the occurrence of oxfendazole, levamisole and ivermectin resistance in sheep and goats from medio and baixo Jaguaribe region by faecal egg count reduction followed by coprocultures. The work involved 25 farms (16 sheep farms, 7 goat farms and one of sheep and goats). Data were analysed by RESO (1989). The prevalence of resistant nematodes to oxfendazole, levamisole and ivermectin was respectively 88%, 41% and 59% in sheep and 87.5%, 75% and 37.5%, in goats. Haemonchus was the most prevalent genus in the resistant population to all anthelmintics in sheep and goats, followed by Trichostrongylus and Oesophagostomum.

Anthelmintic effect of Eucalyptus staigeriana essential oil against goat gastrointestinal nematodes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of Eucalyptus staigeriana essential oil (EsEO). The in vitro effects of EsEO were determined through the egg hatching test and the inhibition of larval development of Haemonchus contortus. The oil was subjected to acute and subacute toxicity rodents. The in vivo effects were determined through fecal egg count reduction test in goats. 1.35 and 5.4 mgml(-1) EsEO inhibited 99.27 and 99.20% H. contortus egg hatching and larval development. In subacute toxicity of EsEO, all parameters were found to be in the normal range, and histopathological analysis of organs did not present alterations. EsEO efficacy against goat gastrointestinal nematodes was 76.57% at 15th day after treatment. E. staigeriana essential oil showed in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic activity.

Anthelmintic activity of Cocos nucifera L. against sheep gastrointestinal nematodes

The development of anthelmintic resistance has made the search for alternatives to control gastrointestinal nematodes of small ruminants imperative. Among these alternatives are several medicinal plants traditionally used as anthelmintics. This work evaluated the efficacy of Cocos nucifera fruit on sheep gastrointestinal parasites. The ethyl acetate extract obtained from the liquid of green coconut husk fiber (LGCHF) was submitted to in vitro and in vivo tests. The in vitro assay was based on egg hatching (EHT) and larval development tests (LDT) with Haemonchus contortus. The concentrations tested in the EHT were 0.31, 0.62, 1.25, 2.5 and 5 mg ml(-1), while in the LDT they were 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg ml(-1). The in vivo assay was a controlled test. In this experiment, 18 sheep infected with gastrointestinal nematodes were divided into three groups (n=6), with the following doses administered: G1-400 mg kg(-1) LGCHF ethyl acetate extract, G2-0.2 mg kg(-1) moxidectin (Cydectin) and G3-3% DMSO. The worm burden was analyzed. The results of the in vitro and in vivo tests were submitted to ANOVA and analyzed by the Tukey and Kruskal-Wallis tests, respectively. The extract efficacy in the EHT and LDT, at the highest concentrations tested, was 100% on egg hatching and 99.77% on larval development. The parameters evaluated in the controlled test were not statistically different, showing that despite the significant results of the in vitro tests, the LGCHF ethyl acetate extract showed no activity against sheep gastrointestinal nematodes.

Interaction of parasitism and nutrition and their effects on production and clinical parameters in goats

Weaned wether goats (n = 144) approximately 6 months of age were placed in a 2 x 3 factorial design experiment for 5 months to test the main effects and interaction of two levels of nutrition (growth + maintenance, NUT1; twice growth + maintenance, NUT2) and three levels of Haemonchus contortus burden (0, 500 and 2000 larvae administered every 2 weeks: W0, W500 W2000, respectively) on weight, feed intake, level of infection and packed cell volume (PCV). The rationale for the experimental design was based on the lack of information concerning the interaction between nutritional status and worm burden. Results indicated significant effects of worm burden levels on PCV, faecal egg contents (eggs per gram of feces (EPG)), actual worm numbers, feed intake and efficiency of feed utilization. Nutrition x worm burden interactions were also significant for PCV and EPG. However, the differences detected for PCV and actual worm numbers did not translate into large or consistent differences in body weight. Goats on NUT2, after an initial period, showed little difference in body weight, irrespective of worm burden. Within the NUT1 level, W0 kids weighed more than W500 or W2000 kids throughout the study. Although not statistically significant, this constitutes a trend towards an interaction between nutrition and worm burden. In both nutrition levels, there were no body weight differences between W500 and W2000 until the last 14 days. Feed intake was depressed in the first 3 months of the experiment for infected animals, but was subsequently followed by a compensatory reaction. Lower establishment rates, based on actual worm counts, were observed for the higher infection level, but in both infection levels establishment rates tended to decrease with time. Nutrition was found to be more important to counteract the consequences of a parasitic infection than to counteract the establishment of that same infection.

Resistência anti-helmíntica em rebanhos caprinos no Estado do Ceará

Goats of 45 farms in the State of Ceara, Brazil, were treated with anthelmintics for gastrointestinal nematodes, and their resistance to the anthelmintics was evaluated. On each farm 30 kids were weighed, ear-tagged and divided into three groups of ten. The first group received oxfendazole at 4.75mg/kg, the second levamisole at 7.5mg/kg, and the third group remained untreated as control. All goats were drenched according to their individual body weight. Fecal samples were collected from all animals (treated and control) on the day of treatment and 7 days later, to provide material for egg counts and larval cultures. Among 34 surveyed herds 20.6% showed levamisole resistance, 17.6% showed resistance to benzimidazole, and 35.3% had multiple resistance. At the time of the assessment 52.9% of the farmers were using broad spectrum anthelmintics. Only 26.5% of the surveyed herds had nematode populations susceptible to the anthelmintics assessed. The results of larval cultures showed that larvae surviving the treatment with oxfendazole were mainly Haemonchus sp and, to a lesser extent, Oesophagostomum sp; those surviving levamisole treatment were Haemonchus sp, Oesophagostomum sp and Trichostrongylus sp.

Anthelmintic activity of Lippia sidoides essential oil on sheep gastrointestinal nematodes

Medicinal plants have been investigated for their anthelmintic properties and shown to be effective against eggs and larvae of gastrointestinal nematodes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Lippia sidoides essential oil (LsEO) on sheep gastrointestinal nematodes. Initially, 44 naturally infected sheep were divided and treated with 200 microg kg(-1) ivermectin and 230 and 283 mg kg(-1) LsEO, respectively, plus the control. Fecal samples were collected from each animal to determine epg at 7, 14 and 21 days after treatment. In another test, 21 sheep were distributed and treated with 200 microg kg(-1) ivermectin, 283 mg kg(-1) LsEO and the control, respectively. Seven days after treatment, they were euthanized and necropsied to count and identify the nematodes from the abomasum, small and large intestines. In the first test, the efficacy of 230 and 283 mg kg(-1) LsEO and ivermectin was 38%, 45.9% and 40.2%, respectively, 7 days after treatment, and 30%, 54% and 39.6%, respectively, 14 days after treatment. In the second experiment, the respective efficacy of 283 mg kg(-1) LsEO and ivermectin was 56.9% and 34.4% against Haemonchus spp., and 39.3% and 63.6% against Trichostrongylus spp.

Controle biológico de nematóides gastrintestinais de caprinos em clima semi-árido pelo fungo Monacrosporium thaumasium

The present study aimed to evaluate the viability of the nematophagous fungus Monacrosporium thaumasium in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes larvae of goats in the field, in semiarid climate in Ceara State, Brazil. An area of 20 ha, free of worms, was divided into four paddocks of 5 ha. In each paddock, one group consisting of nine goats was formed and received the following treatment, individually, from April to June 2002: group 1, each animal received, orally, 10 g of pellets, weekly; group 2, the animals received 10 g of pellets, each 15 days; group 3, the animals received 0.5 mL moxidectin per 25 kg of live weight; group 4, control, not treated. Monthly, two tracer goats were introduced into the flock per 30 days. After this period, they were sacrificed and submitted to necropsy. The group of animals that received fungi treatments weekly showed reduction in the number of eggs per gram of feces, smaller parasitic load and larger weight in relation to animals of the other groups. The fungi M. thaumasium was efficient to control infective larvae in the pasture, and can be used in the control and prophylaxis of gastrointestinal nematodes of goats in semiarid climate, in Ceara State.

Interaction of parasitism and nutrition in goats: effects on haematological parameters, correlations, and other statistical associations.

Weaned wether goats (n = 144) approximately 6 months of age were placed in a 2 x 3 factorial experiment to test the effects and interaction of two levels of nutrition (growth+maintenance, NUT1; and twice growth+maintenance, NUT2) and three levels of Haemonchus contortus burden (0, 500, and 2000 larvae administered every 2 weeks; W0, W500, and W2000, respectively) on packed cell volume, red blood cell count, total serum protein and leukocytes. The statistical analysis revealed clear and proportionate differences among levels of infection for all variables. A significant (P < 0.05) nutritional effect was also found associated with all the variables except leukocytes. Nutrition by worm load interactions were found for packed cell volume and leukocytes. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was higher in the NUT1-infected animals, leading to the nutrition by worm load interaction for leukocytes. An analysis for the different leukocyte types revealed significant (P < 0.05) differences among infection levels for lymphocytes, while nutrition level was found to be a significant effect for basophil count and immature white cells. Several significant correlations were observed between pairs of variables. Faecal egg output could be predicted from actual worm count in three of the four necropsy periods. The clear differences observed for blood parameters were not present in production traits, suggesting that physiological thresholds may play an important role in framing the metabolic activity of biological organisms. Total serum protein was the best indicator of these effects on production parameters.

Haemonchus contortus resistance to ivermectin and netobimin in Brazilian sheep

Suffolk, Texel, Hampshire Down and Ile de France sheep from the municipalities of Porto Amazonas, Piraquara and Araucaria in the State of Paraná, and Bagé in the State of Rio Grande do Sul were brought to Sobral, State of Ceará, to be used in a cross-breeding project. On arrival they had clinical signs of nematode parasitosis, and one Suffolk female died. The animals were treated orally with ivermectin (0.2 mg kg-1) and fifteen days later with netobimin (20.0 mg kg-1). Neither drug reduced the egg counts (measured in eggs per gram, EPG) significantly, and this suggested that the nematodes in the sheep were resistant to the anthelmintics used. Haemonchus contortus was the species involved. The egg counts were reduced after oral treatment with trichlorfon (100.0 mg kg-1). Haemonchus contortus larvae obtained from these animals before trichlorfon treatment and passaged through two nematode-free sheep were used in a further experiment. Twenty 6- to 9-month-old nematode-free lambs were infected with the H. contortus larvae (10,000 per animal) and after the infection was confirmed, were randomly divided into four groups of five animals. Group I was orally treated with ivermectin at 0.2 mg kg-1, Group II with oral netobimin at 20.0 mg kg-1, Group III with oral trichlorfon at 100.0 mg kg-1 and Group IV was a non-treated control. Egg counts and faecal cultures were taken before dosing on the day of treatment and seven days later when all animals were necropsied and the nematodes were collected from the abomasa and counted.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Identification and quantification of benzimidazole resistance polymorphisms in Haemonchus contortus isolated in Northeastern Brazil.

Haemonchus contortus is the most prevalent nematode in Brazil. The objective of this study was to select 6 populations of H. contortus of known or suspected benzimidazole resistance status and characterize these using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) F200Y, F167Y and E198A in the β-tubulin isotype 1 gene. qPCR was performed using DNA from a pool of 10 adult male H. contortus from a single animal per farm. Faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) and egg hatch test (EHT) were used to determine the resistance status. Samples were obtained from 6 farms located in 5 counties in the Ceará State: Tauá, Boa Viagem, Quixadá, Santa Quitéria and Solonópole. The inbred-susceptible-Edinburgh (ISE) isolate was used as reference for comparative purposes in the qPCR. Benzimidazole resistance was detected by FECRT on all farms with efficacy values ranging from 0 to 51%. EC50 values as determined by EHT were all above 1.49μg/ml. High frequencies of the resistant SNPs F200Y and F167Y alleles were detected but no resistance was detected at SNP E198A. Our results suggest that the SNPs F167Y and F200Y are both important for benzimidazole resistance in the studied populations.