title: Climatic conditions and gastrointestinal nematode egg production: observations in breeding sheep and goats.
abstract: Parasitic egg production was studied in sheep and goats affected by parasitic gastroenteritis. The herds studied were located at different altitudes and in different climatic conditions. Samples were taken every month and the number of eggs per grams of feces was calculated. Observation of preliminary data shows that the maximum peak of egg production was during the winter period, whereas in other countries winter is a period of hypobiosis. This study shows that understanding peak time of infection related to different climatic and environmental conditions will help improve anthelminthic treatments and animal health strategies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Zooprophylaxy of Sicily (IZS), Via Marinuzzi n.3, 90129 Palermo, Sicily, Italy. torina@pa.izs.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torina
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ferrantelli
authors.forename: O A E
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Sparagano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reale
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caracappa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002980:Climate; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D006041:Goats; D009348:Nematoda / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*; D010063:Ovum; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics