Actividad antihelmíntica in vivo de Tephrosia vogelii sobre estrongílidos gastrointestinales en caprinos infectados naturalmente / In vivo Anthelmintic Activity of Tephrosia vogelii on Gastrointestinal Strongyles in Naturally Infected Goats

Resumen Con el objetivo de determinar el efecto antihelmíntico de la especie Tephrosia vogelii sobre estrongílidos gastrointestinales de caprinos, se recolectaron hojas de la planta y se obtuvo un extracto bruto. Treinta caprinos infectados naturalmente se dividieron en tres grupos de diez animales cada uno. Grupo I (control) al cual se le administraron 50 ml de agua destilada; grupo II, al que se les administró una dosis diaria del extracto de 100 mg/kg, y grupo III, que recibió una dosis diaria del extracto de 150 mg/kg. El tratamiento se realizó oralmente por tres días consecutivos. Los conteos de huevos en mostraron que los animales presentaban una parasitosis gastrointestinal compuesta de los géneros Haemonchus spp. Trichostrongylus spp. y Oesophagostomum spp., siendo Haemochus spp. el de mayor proporción (75 %). La reducción de los conteos de huevos fue del 91 % y el 94 % para los grupos II y III, respectivamente, a los 14 días postratamiento.

Abstract This study aims to determine the anthelmintic effect of an extract of Tephrosia vogelii on gastrointestinal strongyles of goats. Leaves were collected, from which an aqueous extract was obtained. Thirty naturally-infected goats were divided in three groups of ten animals each as follows: group I (control), with each animal receiving 50 ml of distillated water; group II, with each animal receiving 100 mg/kg of the extract; and group III, with each animal receiving 150 mg/kg of the extract. Treatments were administered orally on three consecutive days. The faecal test revealed that the genera present in the goats were Haemonchus spp., Trichostrongylus spp. y Oesophagostomum spp., with Haemonchus spp. being the most prevalent genus (75%). The faecal egg count reductions 14 days pos-treatment were 91% and 94% for groups II and III, respectively.

Molecular identification and characterization of Rickettsia spp. and other tick-borne pathogens in cattle and their ticks from Huambo, Angola.

Ticks are one of the most common vectors of a broad variety of pathogenic agents that significantly affects cattle production causing reduced productivity and important economic losses, while simultaneously having an impact on human health due to the zoonotic risk. In much of the territory of Angola urban population has grown rapidly in recent decades, sharing today close contact with large farms that are generally owned by city residents, providing the ideal conditions for vector-borne pathogens (VBP) transmission between animals and humans. Here we studied the occurrence of Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Babesia and Theileria in domestic cattle (n = 98) from Huambo, Angola, and their ticks (n = 116) to obtain a more detailed knowledge into the spectrum of tick-borne agents circulating in this population. We morphologically identified Amblyomma variegatum, Rhipicephalus decoloratus and R. evertsi mimeticus ticks, further confirmed by molecular analysis of the 12S rDNA and 16S rDNA genes. Although none of the bovine blood showed to be positive for R. africae by the ompB, ompA and gltA assays, five ticks showed to be positive for R. africae by the ompB, ompA and the gltA PCRs. Two 18S rRNA sequences were retrieved from bovine blood and one sequence from A. variegatum tick, showing 100% identity with Theileria mutans. By using a PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene of Anaplama spp. we have also obtained six bovine blood samples showing 99-100 % nucleotide sequence identity with A. capra, two showing 98 % nucleotide sequence identity with A. phagocytophilum and three showing 98-100 % nucleotide sequence identity with A. platys. None of the ticks were positive. The present study shows the presence of a wide range of vector-borne diseases in domestic cattle and their ticks in Huambo province, Angola. Given the lack of both animal and human health infrastructures in this rural region, swift diagnosis and treatment is hampered which could produce a more severe impact on health.

Prevalence and molecular characterization of piroplasmids in domestic dogs from Paraguay.

Canine piroplasmoses, caused by Babesia spp., Theileria spp. and Rangelia vitalii, are emerging vector-borne diseases with a worldwide distribution, transmitted by ticks. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and perform molecular characterization of piroplasmids in domestic dogs from Asunción city, Paraguay. Blood samples were taken from 384 domestic dogs from Asunción city, Paraguay. DNA was purified from dog blood samples and submitted to nested PCR assays for piroplasmids (18S rRNA) and sequenced for identification and phylogenetic analysis. Overall piroplasmid prevalence in dogs from Paraguay was 6% (23/384 [CI 95% = 3.6-8.4%]). Phylogenetic studies showed that Babesia vogeli was the most prevalent species (91% [21/23]), followed by Theileria equi (4% [1/23]) and Rangelia sp. closely related to R. vitalii (4% [1/23]). Babesia vogeli, T. equi and Rangelia sp. circulate among domestic dogs from Asunción city, and are described for the first time in Paraguay.