Hemoncose e reticulopericardite traumática em pequenos ruminantes no Semiárido, Nordeste do Brasil.

Abstract

This dissertation comprises two chapters that feature scientific articles on diseases affecting goats and sheep. The first chapter provides a detailed account of the primary epidemiological, clinical, and pathological findings of hemoncosis in small ruminants within the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil. Necropsy records performed in goats and sheep between January 2012 and December 2021 at the Animal Pathology Laboratory of the Federal University of Campina Grande were reviewed. In addition, in 2022, necropsies were performed on these species monitored. The abomasal content was collected, packed in formaldehyde and submitted for counting and parasitological identification. During the study period, 410 goats and 319 sheep were necropsied, and Haemonchus contortus infections were observed in 12% (50/410) of the goats and 15% (49/319) of the sheep. The infected goats were predominantly female (90%; 45/50), crossbred (76%; 38/50), over 1 year old (66%; 33/50) and reared in a semiextensive regime (82%; 41/50). Affected sheep were predominantly female (55.1%; 27/49), crossbred (49%; 24/49), over 1 year old (67.3%; 33/49) and raised in a semi-extensive regime (73.5%; 36/49). All animals came from municipalities in Paraíba, Pernambuco, Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte. The main clinical signs in goats and sheep included anorexia 36% (18/50) and 24.5% (12/49), apathy 28% (14/50) and 30.6% (15/49), and emaciation 16% (8/50) and 16.3% (8/49), respectively. The pathological alterations were mainly characterized by the presence of specimens of Haemochus contortus in the abomasum in 100% of the cases, pallor of the mucous membranes and crusts, and edema. Haemoncosis remains an important parasitic disease for small ruminants in the northeastern semi-arid region, causing a decrease in production rates and death, causing significant economic problems that compromise goat and sheep farming. The second chapter delves into the primary epidemiological, clinical, and anatomopathological aspects of traumatic reticulopericarditis in small ruminants in Northeastern Brazil. Between 2003 and 2022, a total of 1,025 goats and 889 sheep underwent necropsy at the Animal Pathology Laboratory of the Federal University of Campina Grande. Among these cases, two (0.1%) instances of traumatic reticulopericarditis in small ruminants were diagnosed. The first case involved an adult crossbred sheep that was raised under an extensive management system and was discovered deceased. The second case involved a fouryear-old crossbred goat that exhibited anorexia and neurological symptoms. During the necropsy of both animals, multiple adhesions were observed between the reticulum, diaphragm, parietal pleura, and pericardial sac. Additionally, the pericardium displayed pronounced thickening and exhibited the deposition of fibrin, accompanied by a fibrinosuppurative exudate within the heart. In case one, a metallic and linear foreign body was identified, piercing through the pericardial sac, resulting in chronic passive congestion, nutmeg liver, and effusions within the body cavity. In case two, the foreign body was found to transfix the left myocardium, leading to septic endocarditis, sepsis, multifocal abscesses, and suppurative leptomeningitis. Traumatic reticulopericarditis is an uncommon condition in small ruminants, often proving fatal. It is crucial to consider this condition as a potential differential diagnosis when evaluating diseases affecting the digestive and cardiovascular systems.