title: The epidemiology of Schistosoma spindale Montgomery, 1906 in cattle in Sri Lanka.
abstract: During 1988 and 1989, the mesenteric veins of 901 cattle were examined for the presence of schistosomes at the Kandy slaughterhouse (Sri Lanka). The overall prevalence of infection was 31.2%. Animals younger than 2 years were less infected (21.3%) than those older than 5 years (47.9%). Based on the number of paired worms counted, three intensities of infection were recognized: low (1-20 pairs), moderate (21-100 pairs) and heavy (greater than 100 pairs). Intensities increased with the age of the animals but remained low (average 10 worm pairs). The worm burden increased by approximately 20% for each step in age group. The number of miracidia/100 g faeces was measured in 85 animals of all age groups and intensities of infection; 77% of the samples contained less than 100 miracidia. Miracidia counts decreased with age; moderately and heavily infected animals in each age group had the highest and the lowest counts, respectively. This may be due to a host immune response. The results raise questions on the sensitivity of faecal egg counts as a diagnostic method for visceral schistosomiasis in cattle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Bont
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vercruysse
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Aken
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Southgate
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rollinson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moncrieff
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D015995:Prevalence; D012547:Schistosoma / Q000254:growth & development*; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology