Control of Strongyloides westeri by nematophagous fungi after passage through the gastrointestinal tract of donkeys / Controle de Strongyloides westeri por fungos nematófagos após trânsito gastrintestinal em jumentas

Strongyloides westeri is the most prevalent nematode among equines aged up to four months and causes gastrointestinal disorders. The objective of this study was to observe the control of infective S. westeri larvae (L3) by the nematophagous fungi Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001) and Monacrosporium thaumasium (NF34) after passage through the gastrointestinal tract of female donkeys. Twelve dewormed female donkeys that were kept in stables were used. Two treatment groups each comprising four animals received orally 100 g of pellets made of sodium alginate matrix containing a mycelial mass of either D. flagrans (AC001) or M. thaumasium (NF34). The control group consisted of four animals that received pellets without fungus. Feces samples were then collected from the animal groups at different times (after 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours). These feces were placed in Petri dishes containing 2% water-agar medium and 1000 L3 of S. westeri. AC001 and NF34 isolates showed the ability to destroy the L3, after gastrointestinal transit, thus demonstrating their viability and predatory activity.

O Strongyloides westeri é o nematóide de maior prevalência entre equídeos com idade até quatro meses, causando distúrbios gastrintestinais. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi observar o controle de larvas infectantes (L3) de Strongyloides westeri pelos fungos nematófagos Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001) e Monacrosporium thaumasium (NF34) após trânsito gastrintestinal em jumentas. Foram utilizadas 12 jumentas, estabuladas e previamente vermifugadas. A seguir, dois grupos tratados, contendo cada um 4 animais receberam por via oral 100 g de péletes em matriz de alginato de sódio, contendo massa miceliana dos fungos D. flagrans (AC001) ou M. thaumasium (NF34). O grupo controle foi constituído de 4 animais que receberam péletes sem fungo. A seguir, amostras de fezes dos grupos de animais foram coletadas em distintos intervalos de horas (12, 24, 48 e 72). Essas fezes foram vertidas em placas de Petri contendo meio sólido ágar-água 2% e 1000 L3 de S. westeri. Os isolados AC001 e NF34 apresentaram capacidade de destruir as L3 após o trânsito, demonstrando sua viabilidade e atividade predatória.

Enterite granulomatosa associada a larvas de ciatostomíneos em eqüinos no Rio Grande do Sul / Granulomatous enteritis associated with larval cyathostomiasis in horses in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

São descritos cinco casos de enterite granulomatosa associada a larvas de ciatostomíneos em eqüinos provenientes de três propriedades rurais do Rio Grande do Sul. Os casos ocorreram entre janeiro de 1999 e dezembro de 2007. A evolução clínica nos dois casos cujo seguimento clínico foi acompanhado foi de 10 e 14 dias. Os sinais clínicos apresentados por três eqüinos foram semelhantes e consistiam de diarréia (3/3), emagrecimento (2/3), pirexia (1/3), taquicardia (1/3) e taquipnéia (1/3). Os achados macroscópicos incluíram espessamento da parede do cólon maior e ceco por edema e ocorrência de numerosos pontos marrom-escuros com 1-4mm, levemente salientes, disseminados pela mucosa. A incisão desses pontos revelou pequenas larvas de nematódeos marrom-avermelhadas de 1-2mm. Numerosos parasitas, compatíveis morfologicamente com pequenos estrôngilos, foram observados na luz intestinal ou aderidos à mucosa do cólon maior e ceco. Histologicamente, na mucosa e submucosa do cólon maior e ceco, foram observados múltiplos granulomas constituídos por moderado ou acentuado infiltrado inflamatório, composto por macrófagos, macrófagos epitelióides e eosinófilos circundados por linfócitos e plasmócitos. No centro desses granulomas, observaram-se cortes transversais de parasitas com morfologia compatível com ciatostomíneos. Adicionalmente, havia edema e infiltrado inflamatório linfo-histioplasmocitário e eosinofílico, leve ou moderado na submucosa e mucosa do cólon maior e ceco; necrose e proliferação linfo-histiocítária em folículos linfóides na submucosa e hiperplasia de células caliciformes na mucosa. O diagnóstico de enterite granulomatosa associada a ciatostomíneos foi realizado com base nos achados epidemiológicos, clínicos e macroscópicos e confirmado pela histologia.

Five cases of granulomatous enteritis associated with cyathostomes are described in horses from three farms in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The cases occurred from January 1999 to December 2007. The clinical course in two cases in which clinical follow-up was available was 10-14 days. Clinical signs presented by two horses were similar and included diarrhea (3/3), weight loss (2/3), pyrexia (1/3), tachycardia (1/3), and tachypnea (1/3). Gross changes consisted of thickening of the wall of large colon and cecum by edema and the occurrence of numerous 1-4mm, dark-tan, slightly raised multifocal pinpoints disseminated throughout the mucosa. Up on the incision of these pinpoints, brown-reddish, small (1-2mm) nematode larvae emerged. Large numbers of parasites with morphology compatible with small strongyles were observed in the lumina of large colon and cecum or adhered to the mucosae of these organs. Histologically, multiple granulomas were seen in the mucosa and submucosa of large colon and cecum. These granulomas consisted of moderate to severe inflammatory infiltrate of macrophages, epithelioid macrophages, and eosinophils surrounded by fewer lymphocytes and plasma cells. In the center of these granulomas, transversal cut sections of parasites with morphology compatible with cyathostomes larvae were observed. Additionally, there was edema and moderate to marked lymphohistioplasmacytic and eosinophilic inflammatory infiltrate throughout the mucosa and submucosa of the large colon and cecum; necrosis and lymphohistiocytic proliferation in the submucosal lymphoid follicles, with hyperplasia of goblet cells in the epithelial lining of these organs were also observed. The diagnosis of granulomatous enteritis associated with larval cyathostomiasis was made based on epidemiological, clinical, and gross findings which were confirmed by histopathology.

Carga parasitaria de nematodes gastointestinales en bovino de la provincia Vallegrande / Load of gastrointestinal bovine parasites at Vallegrande

La investigacion se realizo con el objetivo de determinar la carga parasitaria de nematodes gastrointestinales, en la provincia Vallegrande, del departamento de Santa Cruz, el muestreo se realizo en dos zonas. Las muestras se tomaron al azar, considerando la edad, sexo, zona y raza, las cuales se procesaron en la seccion parasitologia del laboratorio de PRODEVA, programa, programa de desarrollo de Vallegrande. Para la carga parasitaria se utilizo el metodo de Gordon y Witlock modificado Mc Master y para identificar larvas el metodo de Robert O'Sullivan. Los resultados se analizaron estadisticamente con el metodo de comparacion de proporciones, Prueba de Duncan y analisis de Varianza. De las 280 muestras procesadas 201 (71,8 por ciento) resultaron positivas, con un promedio de 2037 HPG. Los animales menores de un año fueron los mas afectados con 88 por ciento de positivos y 1408 HPG existiendo diferencia significativa entre grupos etarios (P<0,05). Por sexo en hembras 38,2 por ciento y, 8 por ciento (P>0,05) y en machos 1699 HPG (P<0,05). Por zona, la I con 68,6 por cientoy la zona II con 75,9 por ciento (P>0,05), la zona II con 1295 HPG frente a la zona I con 742 HPG. (P<0,01). La raza criolla con 84 por ciento seguida de las razas puras.

Effects of Onthophagus gazella F (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) on free-living strongyloids of equids.

Effects on the recently introduced dung-burying beetle, Onthophagus gazella F, on free-living stages of equine strongyles were determined on a Texas pasture. Two populations of O gazella (22 and 44 pairs) were exposed to 1-kg deposits of equine dung containing 545,000 strongyle eggs for 31 days near the end of the beetle's activity season. Weekly dung and pasture samples were taken from these plots and from control plots from which beetles were excluded to recover developing larvae. Significant differences did not occur among the 3 treatments (P less than 0.05).

Study of gastro-intestinal stronglyosis in a sheep flock on permanent pasture. 1. Sheep parasitism in 1977.

An epidemiological study aimed at defining gastro-intestinal parasitism in sheep qualitatively and quantitatively was carried out in the Limousin area in France. Five lambs were sacrificed regularly every 4 weeks from May till January of the following year. Complete parasite counts were performed on these animals as well as measurements of the plasma level of pepsinogen. In order to define the influence of parasitism on the growth of the animals, the weight gains of lambs treated regularly and untreated lambs were compared. The results of post-mortem examination show that parasitism is mainly linked to the incidence of strongyles. Other observations in the flock have shown that Moniezosis may also play a non-negligeable part. The parasitic level, already high after one month at pasture, reached its maximum in July-August 1977 and was marked by a very high level of parasitism. Among these species found, two played an essential part: Ostertagia circumcincta and Haemonchus contortus. A study of the growth of the lambs showed that within 6 months, the weight gain of the treated animals was twice that of the untreated animals. The effects of parasitism were worsened by the low fodder value of the pasture and the occurrence of overgrazing. The blood pepsinogen measurements confirmed the usefulness of this technique in establishing the mean level of infestation of a flock by parasites of the abomasum. It seems that in some cases it could help to define the succession of peaks of infestation by different species.