Investigação soroepidemiológica de Toxoplasma gondii em caprinos criados na Região Sisaleira da Bahia

Abstract

The goat is an animal species of great relevance in the Brazilian northeast, used for the production of milk and meat, serving as a source of income for small farmers, especially in family farming. Among the coccidia protozoa that infect goats, we can highlight Toxoplasma gondii, a major cause of abortions in this species. They are found high prevalence of toxoplasmosis in goat herds in several places, which generates considerable economic losses. These animals are infected through the horizontal route with ingestion of water or food contaminated with the oocysts eliminated by the definitive host and can be transmitted vertically, where the tachyzoites are passed to the fetus by the placenta, being a form of maintenance of the parasite in the herds. In order to perform a seroepidemiological survey of anti-T. gonddi in goats raised in the sisal region of Bahia state, 817 goat samples were analyzed by indirect hemagglutination (HAI) reaction. Among males and females, older than six months, coming from 49 rural properties distributed among the cities of Araci, Cansanção, Conceição do Coité, Itiúba, Monte Santo, Nordestina, Queimadas, Santa Luz, São Domingos and Valente, belonging to the Territory of Sisal. The seroprevalence obtained in HAI was 31.0% (254/817). Therefore, the results found in this study confirm the presence of the etiological agent in goat herds in the Sisal Territory, reinforcing the need for greater control, prevention and diagnosis in the sisal region.