Comparison of two coprological methods for the diagnosis of Eurytrema ssp. in cattle and sheep.

Eurytrematosis is a disease caused by flukes of the genus Eurytrema. These parasites infect the pancreatic ducts of a wide variety of species, including cattle, sheep and humans. Diagnosing eurytrematosis through the analysis of faecal samples can be difficult because most of the available techniques are considered of low sensitivity. In this context, a modification of the Dennis, Stone and Swanson technique (Belem Sedimentation Technique, BST) was previously developed to increase the probability of detecting infected animals; nevertheless, the values of eggs per gram obtained using the modified technique are generally low. We proposed a modification of the this technique (MBST), to increase the sensitivity and detection rate of infected animals. The objective of this work was to describe MBST and compare it with BST. Faecal samples of 212 clinically healthy animals (174 from cattle and 38 from sheep) from 20 farms were taken by the intra-rectal route and stored at 4°C. The samples were processed using BST and MBST. Positive samples amounted to 55 (25.9%) using BST and 121 (57.1%) using MBST. In the simples from cattle, 52 (29.8%) and 107 (61.4%) were positive in BST and MBST, respectively. In sheep, three (7.8%) and 14 (36.8%) positive samples were obtained in BST and MBST, respectively.The results obtained using the two methods were significantly different, indicating a lack of agreement between their findings. The results suggest that MBST is a more sensitive method to detect Eurytrema spp. eggs in faeces than BST.

Primer registro de Cooperia curticei (Strongylida: Trichostrongylidae) en un ovino de la región del noroeste argentino / First report of Cooperia curticei (Strongylida: Trichostrongylidae) in sheep from northwestern Argentina

Resumen Cooperia curticei, es un nematodo afín a los ovinos que se aloja en el intestino delgado de estos. Su presencia en Argentina ha sido registrada en ambientes como la región semiárida en la Pampa, subhúmeda pampeana en Buenos Aires y en la región subtropical en Corrientes. El objetivo de este trabajo es notificar la presencia de Cooperia curticei en intestino delgado de un ovino proveniente de la localidad de Cerrillos en Salta. En el intestino delgado se determinó una carga de 600 formas adultas de Cooperia spp.Estas fueron identificadas como Cooperia curticei. Como características taxonómicas de relevancia las ramas del rayo dorsal se curvaban hacia atrás mostrando una forma de lira. En cuanto a las espículas, midieron en promedio 146,8 µm (± 5,24), con una concavidad marcada en parte media del cuerpo y con un tallo con una curvatura final similar a un pie. Este hallazgo constituye el primero en su tipo en la región del NOA y demuestra la adaptación de C. curticei a un clima de tipo serrano sub-andino. Este trabajo complementa lo descripto previamente en la región, en donde se menciona la presencia de Cooperia spp en ovinos, sin especificar su especie.

Abstract Cooperia curticei is a nematode related to sheep that is housed in the small intestine. Its presence in Argentina has been reported in environments such as the semi-arid region in the Pampa, the sub-humid Pampas in Buenos Aires and in the subtropical region in Corrientes. The objective of this work is to report the presence of Cooperia curticei in the small intestine of a sheep from the town of Cerrillos in Salta. A worm burden of 600 adult forms of Cooperia spp. was determined in the small intestine. These were identified as Cooperia curticei. As relevant taxonomic features the branches of the dorsal ray curved backwards showing a lyre shape. As for the spicules, they measured an average of 146.8 µm (± 5.24), with a marked concavity in the middle part of the body and with a stem with a final curvature similar to a foot. This finding is the first of its kind in the NOA region and demonstrates the adaptation of C. curticei to a sub-Andean mountain type climate. This work complement that previously described in the region, where the presence of Cooperia spp. in sheep was described but without species determination.

First record of clinical coccidiosis (Eimeria ovinoidalis) in adult sheep from northwestern Argentina.

Coccidiosis of sheep is an intestinal infection caused by protozoa of the genus Eimeria. An outbreak of the disease in adult sheep from Salta province, northwestern Argentina, was studied to establish its clinical, epidemiological, pathological and etiological aspects. The affected animals were part of a flock of 20 sheep brought from Formosa province about 10 days before. Most sheep (80% incidence) showed hemorrhagic diarrhea, dehydration and loss of body condition; six of them died and two that became permanently recumbent were euthanized. Three necropsied sheep showed mild mesenteric lymphadenomegaly, diffuse proliferative enteritis in the small and large intestines, and mucosal thickening. Histopathological studies exhibited diffuse proliferative enteritis and presence of structures compatible with intracellular coccidia at different stages of development. Parasitological studies (n = 12) resulted in an average of 16,636.6 (± 15,266.8) Eimeria oocysts per gram of feces (range 1680-46,400). Taxonomy of Eimeria species based on analysis of sporulated oocysts derived from 4 fecal samples (n = 100 oocyst per sample) showed, on average, a high prevalence of E. ovinoidalis (61.5%), followed by E. parva (27.2%), and lower proportions of E. crandallis (5.3%), E. ahsata (3.2%) and E. intricata (2.8%). Clinical and pathological findings confirmed the diagnosis of coccidiosis in the affected sheep; parasitological results showed that E. ovinoidalis was the main species responsible for the clinical signs. Clinical coccidiosis is considered unusual in adult sheep, but the present case shows that under favorable environmental and/or management conditions, this infection may be highly deleterious for adult sheep.

Descripción de dos casos de babesiosis cerebral en terneros de hasta 15 días de edad / Description of two cases of cerebral babesiosis in calves up to 15 days of age

Resumen La babesiosis es una enfermedad causada por Babesia bovis y Babesia bigemina, integrante del complejo conocido como "Tristeza bovina" y relevante en el Noroeste argentino (NOA). La presentación clínica de esta enfermedad es infrecuente en bovinos jóvenes, a los que se considera parcialmente resistentes a la babesiosis. Este trabajo describe dos casos de babesiosis cerebral en terneros de dos rodeos de cría diferentes, que a la necropsia mostraron ictericia, esplenomegalia y severa congestión cerebral y hemoglobinuria. Estructuras intraeritrocitarias compatibles morfológicamente con B. bovis fueron identificadas en extendidos de sistema nervioso central y sangre periférica teñidos con Giemsa y se confirmó luego la infección por medio de técnicas moleculares. La evaluación del estatus epidemiológico en los rodeos de origen determinó diferentes contextos: uno de los casos fue aislado en un rodeo con estabilidad enzoótica para babesiosis, donde la enfermedad clínica era escasa a pesar de altas tasas de transmisión de B. bovis; el segundo caso ocurrió en un rodeo en situación de brote con niveles significativos de mortandad. La ocurrencia de babesiosis (B. bovis) no había sido descripta todavía en terneros de la Argentina, sumándose ahora al diagnóstico diferencial para esta categoría de bovinos en zonas donde la enfermedad es enzoótica.

Abstract Bovine babesiosis is a disease caused by Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina, as part of the tick fever complex and relevant in the Northwest of Argentina. Clinical occurrence of this illness is uncommon in young cattle, considered resistant to babesiosis. This work described two cases of cerebral babesiosis in calves of different beef herds. Jaundice, splenomegaly, severe cerebral congestion and hemoglobinuria was observed at necropsy. Babesia bovis-like structures were identified in cerebral and blood smears Giemsa stained and confirmed by molecular techniques. Different situations were recognized following the evaluation of the epidemiological status of both herds: the first one was a single case in a herd with enzootic stability for babesiosis, with scarce clinical cases despite high rates of B. bovis transmission; the other case was in a context of outbreak with high level of mortality within a herd susceptible to babesiosis. Clinical babesiosis was not previously described in calves from Argentina. Babesiosis must be taken into account for the differential diagnosis in calves from endemic areas of the disease.

Impactación ruminal y abomasal en vacas de cría asociada al consumo de una pastura diferida de Megathyrsus maximus cv. Gatton / Ruminal and abomasal impaction in beef cattle associated with the consumption of a deferred Megathyrsus maximus cv. Gatton pasture

La impactación ruminal y abomasal es una afección de los rumiantes que se produce cuando estos consumen un alimento de muy baja digestibilidad y bajo contenido proteico y energético. En este trabajo, se describe una mortandad debido a esta afección, en vacas de cría en el Noroeste argentino. La pastura donde los animales permanecían correspondía a Megathyrsus maximus cv. Gatton, vulgarmente más conocido como “Gatton Panic”. Los signos clínicos fueron anorexia, pérdida de estado hasta que los animales cayeron sin posibilidades de incorporarse y posteriormente morían. El diagnóstico se confirmó por los antecedentes clínicos, patológicos y epidemiológicos sumados al análisis de la pastura. El cuadro de impactación ruminal y abomasal está bien descripto en la bibliografía, pero ha sido poco reportado en Argentina.

Ruminal and abomasal impaction is a pathological condition of ruminants that occurs when they consume a food with very low digestibility, low protein and energy content. Ruminal and abomasal impaction was registered in breeding cows in the Argentina northwest grazing Megathyrsus maximus cv. Gatton. The clinical signs were anorexia, loss of body condition, recumbency and death. The clinical presentation of ruminal and abomasal impaction is well described in the bibliography but reports are scarce in Argentina.