Dinâmica da infecção natural por Toxoplasma gondii em rebanhos caprinos no Sertão da Paraíba.

Abstract

Goat farming is a socioeconomic activity of great importance for the Brazilian semi-arid region, with the Northeast Region responsible for concentrating 93.2% of the national herd. Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, is a reproductive disease that affects humans, domestic animals, including goats, and wild animals, and has the cat (Felis catus domesticus) as the main definitive host. In goats it causes reproductive problems, such as abortions, infertility, birth of weak offspring and consequently economic losses to producers. In view of the problem of toxoplasmosis in goat production and the relationship of this disease with reproductive losses, there was a need to obtain information on the T. gondii transmission in naturally infected goats in the semi-arid region of Paraíba, assessing the serological status of these animals from birth to reproductive age and determining when the prime infection occurs. This dissertation entitled “Dynamics of natural infection by Toxoplasma gondii in goat herds in the Sertão of Paraíba” (Dinâmica da infecção natural por Toxoplasma gondii em rebanhos caprinos no Sertão da Paraíba), is divided into two chapters, being the first a literature review and the second a scientific article. Chapter I is a review of toxoplasmosis in goats, with an emphasis on the northeastern region, containing information about the goat herd of the region, the prevalence of the disease in goats, information about the parasite, its biological cycle, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis and disease control in goats. Chapter II is composed of a scientific article entitled “Dynamics of natural infection by Toxoplasma gondii in goat herds in the Semi-arid region of Brazil” (Dinâmica da infecção natural por Toxoplasma gondii em rebanhos caprinos no Semiárido do Brasil), will be submitted to the journal Research in Veterinary Science. This study aimed to describe the transmission of T. gondii in naturally infected goats, evaluating the serological status of these animals from birth to 12 months of age, determining the time when the prime infection occurs.