FEITOSA, T. F.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3639012255282862; FEITOSA, Thais Ferreira.
Resumo:
Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are protozoans of the genus Apicomplexan
able to infect a large variety of warm-blooded animals. The T. gondii is a zoonotic
disease, has the cat as definitive host and raw or undercooked consumption of pork meat
infected is considered an important source of transmission for humans. The N. caninum
is a zoonosis, has as definitive host the dog, this parasite is responsible for causing
neurological disease in dogs and abortions in cattle, goats and sheep. This dissertation is
formed by two chapters. The first entitled Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in
domestic cats from the Brazilian semi-arid: seroprevalence and risk factors, submitted
Research in Veterinary Science, was to verifiedthe seroprevalence of T. gondiiandN.
caninum in stray and domiciled cats from the municipality of Patos, Paraíba state,
Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 201 animals: 132 domiciled cats and 69
stray cats.An epidemiological questionnaire was conducted with all cat owners. Indirect
immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was performed at cut-offs of 1:16 and 1:50 for
T. gondiiandN. caninum, respectively. Overall prevalence of positive cats for T. gondiiwas
43.78%. We found prevalence of 47.7% of domiciled cats and 36.23% of stray cats. Antibody
titers ranged from1:16 (cut-off) to 1:8192;1:128 was the most frequent titer. No
statistical difference was observed between domiciled cats and stray cats. Correlation
was verified between seropositivityforT. gondii and age and hunting habit (p <0.05). No
animals tested positive for N. caninum. It was possible to conclude that there is high
prevalence of cats positive for T. gondii and that N. caninum is not present in cats from
the area studied. In the second chapter, entitled Serological profile and isolation of
Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum from pigs of Paraíba State, Brazil, verified
the presence of antibodes anti-T. gondii and N.caninum, associated risk factors and
isolation the T. gondii from slaughtered pigs of Paraíba State, Brazil. It was used 190
pigs from public slaughterhouses. The test used for the detection of antibodies was the
indirect immunofluorescence and isolation was performed from animal tissues
positives. Brain, heart and tongue (total 50g) of 37 pigs positive with titers 1:64 were
ground, digested in pepsin and inoculated in mice. The prevalence of antibodies anti-
T.gondii was 19:47% (37/190) with titers ranging from 64 to 2048. Viable cysts of T.
gondii were isolated from 14 of 37 (40.53%) seropositive pigs. The virulence of the
isolates was varied, three were able to kill all the inoculated mice. Risk factors for serology and isolation were, respectively, extensive breeding and feeding with leftovers,
age over of nine months and feeding with leftovers. The prevalence of antibodies to N.
caninum in pigs was 15.3% (6/190) with titers ranging from 100 to 3200. None of the
variables were considered risk factors for N. caninum. These results shows that is high
the prevalence of antibodies anti-T. gondii in swine in Paraíba State, as is high as the
percentage of viable cysts recovered these animals and the management of swine is
intimately related to infection by this parasite. Despite the low prevalence of N.
caninum in pigs it is necessary studies to determine the importance of this parasite in
this species.