Aspectos clínicos da estrongiloidose em bezerros mestiços de raças leiteiras

Abstract

Three hundred and seventy calves out of a total of 1.835 were used for the study of strongyloidosis. Calves came from 12 dairy cattle breeding farms in the municipalities of Itaguaí, Nova Iguaçu and Paracambi, in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Animals were 1 to 120 days of age, of which 111 30%) were parasitized by Strongyloides papillosus (Wedl, 1856), Ranson 1911. Data analysis enabled the author to verify that naturally contaminated calves showed the peak numbers of eggs per gram of feces (epg) at 50 days of age, with an average epg of 45.344. Nine newborn crossbred calves, from dairy cattle which had not ingested colostrum, were used for the experimental phase of the study of strongyloidosis. Animals were inoculated with 300.000 larvae of S. papillosus subcutaneously,and egg elimination ocurred, on average, at l0 days postinoculation. xviii. Clinical aspects, observed on natural and experimental infections, were hipocolored mucosae, opaque and ruffled hairs, retracted abdomen, intermittent diarrhoea showing feces adhering to the perianal and caudal regions. Also 9 calves from experimental study showed; alopeciae on the inguinal and perianal regions, dyspnea, heart arrhythmia, dehydration, polyuria, progressive weight loss, hypothermia. Temperature, pulse and respiration frequency were within normal range, except when pulmonary failure ocurred or on approaching death.