RESUMO
Fasciola hepatica causes significant morbidity and mortality in dairy cattle in the Andean region of Cajamarca, Peru, where prevalence of infection of up to 78% has been reported. ELISA and Western blot analyses were used to characterise antibody responses in dairy cattle to adult F. hepatica to excretory-secretory (E/S), somatic (SO) and surface (SU) antigens. Three groups of dairy cattle - calves, heifers and adult cows - naturally exposed to F. hepatica in this region, were monitored every 2 months over a 2-year period. Calves, heifers and adult cows all had antibodies which recognised a 28kDa protein in the SO preparation, whereas only adult cows had antibodies that recognised a 28kDa protein in E/S products. All three groups of cattle responded to a 60-66kDa group of proteins in E/S and SU preparations and a 17kDa antigen in SO products was recognised by antibodies from cows and heifers but not calves. The total antibody response to E/S antigens measured by ELISA, increased over time in calves and remained constantly high over the 2-year period in all three groups of cattle. Slight fluctuations in the antibody response occurred in the group of heifers and cows coinciding with seasonal changes in the level of challenge.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Anti-Helmínticos/biossíntese , Doenças dos Bovinos/imunologia , Fasciola hepatica/imunologia , Fasciolíase/veterinária , Animais , Especificidade de Anticorpos , Western Blotting/veterinária , Bovinos , Indústria de Laticínios , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática/veterinária , Fasciolíase/imunologia , Epitopos Imunodominantes/análise , Peso MolecularRESUMO
Fasciolosis is recognised as a major problem in dairy cattle in Cajamarca, Peru. The infection has an annual cycle, with the major period of infection from January to March. A control programme, involving two doses of the fasciolicide triclabendazole aimed at reducing the passage of Fasciola hepatica eggs on to the pasture, together with the use of the molluscicide, niclosamide, was evaluated against traditional treatment programmes. The double treatment regimen did not significantly reduce the overall parasite burden, as measured by faecal egg counts, but did control the parasites to a level similar to that achieved by traditional programmes averaging 3-7 treatments per year. The cows' eosinophil counts and serum liver enzyme activities were significantly lower than in animals treated by the traditional programmes. The use of niclosamide in addition to the triclabendazole treatments gave no clear advantage, although there was a significant reduction in the number of intermediate host snails after the application of the molluscicide.
Assuntos
Anti-Helmínticos/uso terapêutico , Benzimidazóis/uso terapêutico , Doenças dos Bovinos/prevenção & controle , Fasciola hepatica/parasitologia , Fasciolíase/veterinária , Criação de Animais Domésticos , Animais , Bovinos , Fasciola hepatica/efeitos dos fármacos , Fasciolíase/prevenção & controle , Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita , Contagem de Ovos de Parasitas , Peru , TriclabendazolRESUMO
Standard haematological values have been calculated for female Holstein and Brown Swiss cattle kept at high altitudes in the Andean Sierra. Overall mean values were 5.9 x 10(12) l-1 for the red cell count, 0.321 l-1 for the packed cell volume, 9.6 gdl-1 for the haemoglobin concentration, 55.0 femtolitres for the mean corpuscular volume, 30.5 gdl-1 for the mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and 16.7 pg for mean corpuscular haemoglobin. Red cell indices tended to be higher in Holstein cattle than in Brown Swiss kept at the same altitude and were higher in cattle kept at higher altitudes. Mean white cell parameters were 9.7 x 10(9) l-1 for total white cells, 2.6 x 10(9) l-1 for neutrophils, 0.086 x 10(9) l-1 for bands, 6.3 x 10(9) l-1 for lymphocytes, 0.7 x 10(9) l-1 for eosinophils, 0.073 x 10(9) l-1 for monocytes and 0.001 x 10(9) l-1 for basophils.