Analysis of potential risk factors of caprine coccidiosis.

Caprine coccidiosis represents a major concern in goat industry worldwide causing high economic losses, mainly due to poor weight gains, treatment costs and even death of kids. Therefore, analyses on risk factors involved in the establishment and outcome of this disease are important to improve infection status and herd management. In Portugal, approximately 400,000 goats are reared every year. The majority of them are allocated in the southern part of the country. In the current study, a representative number of animals (382 goats) and herds (37 herds) from Alentejo were monitored. Faecal samples from five young and five adult goats of each farm were collected rectally and examined individually by using the modified McMaster technique for oocyst counts (oocyst per gram of faeces - OPG). Additionally, a questionnaire on the husbandry conditions and anti-parasitic treatments was performed. Overall, a prevalence of Eimeria infections of 99% and 100% was detected on animal and herd level, respectively. Eimeria arloingi and E. ninakohlyakimovae as the two most pathogenic caprine species also constituted the most prevalent ones (34.91% and 29.90%, respectively), both in the young and the adult goat groups. As expected, OPG vales were significantly higher (p = 0.031) in young than in adult goats. Furthermore, risk factor analyses revealed young age, higher total number of animals on the farm and outdoor kidding as strongly associated with a higher risk of caprine coccidiosis. Overall, the high prevalence of pathogenic Eimeria species on Portuguese goat farms in combination with the occurrence of related risk factors strengthen the importance of coccidiosis control in caprine industry.

Prevalence of Babesia microti-like infection in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Portugal.

The prevalence of piroplasm (order Piroplasmida) infection was assessed in blood and bone marrow samples from 91 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from northern, central and southern Portugal by means of molecular methods. PCR for the 18S rRNA gene of Babesia spp. followed by sequencing revealed 63 foxes positive for the Babesia microti-like piroplasm (syn. Theileria annae) (69.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 58.7-78.5%) and one fox positive for Babesia canis (1.1%; 95% CI: 0.0-6.0%). Positivity to the B. microti-like piroplasm or B. canis in 43 blood samples (83.7%) was significantly higher (p<0.001) than in 43 paired bone marrow samples (20.9%). There were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of infection between genders (p=0.219) or age groups (<2 years vs. ≥ 2 years) (p=1.0). This is the first report of the B. microti-like piroplasm in foxes from Portugal as well as the first report on detection by PCR and genotyping of B. canis in a red fox worldwide. A natural cycle of the B. microti-like piroplasm is suggested in red fox populations based on the high prevalence of the protozoan. Red foxes might be a reservoir of the B. microti-like piroplasm and a source of infection to dogs.