title: Natural infection by Eimeria spp. in a cohort of lambs raised extensively in Northeast Brazil.
abstract: The aim of the study was to examine and describe the changes in the course of Eimeria infection in a cohort of lambs of the mixed breed Santa Inês raised extensively on a farm in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil. The study was carried out between April and August 2008, during which period fecal samples were collected on a weekly basis from each of the 27 male lambs starting from the day after birth until the age of 90 days. Samples were analyzed under optical microscope a nd those testing positive for Eimeria oocysts were submitted to a quantitative analysis. Oocysts were detected in 17% of the lambs by week 3, but by week 6 100% of the animals were infected. Eight species of Eimeria were identified in the fecal samples, namely, in decreasing order of prevalence, E. crandallis, E. parva, E. granulosa, E. ovinoidalis, E. ahsata, E. ovina, E. faurei and E. intricata. Of the 191 fecal samples that contained Eimeria oocysts, only 32 (16.8%) were infected with a single species whereas 23 (12.0%) were infected with at least two species and 136 (71.2%) harbored three or more species. Although Eimeria coccidiosis is a complex disease owing to the mixed nature of the infective agents, an ongoing prevention program should be implemented to reduce production losses.
authors: Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Rizia Maria da
authors: RM
authors: Silva
authors: Elias Jorge
authors: EJ
authors: Facury-Filho
authors: Maria Fátima
authors: MF
authors: Souza
authors: Múcio Flávio Barbosa
authors: MF
authors: Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004539:Eimeria; D008297:Male; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*