Fasciola hepatica in sheep, goats and buffaloes in southern municipalities of Espírito Santo state

The aim of this study was to record the presence of Fasciola hepatica in sheep, goats and buffaloes in ten southern municipalities of the Espírito Santo state and to relate determinant factors of the disease in this region. A total of 34 properties in sheep, goats and buffaloes was visited by collecting fecal samples of these species to the sedimentation procedure. A total of 58 (13.68%) samples of sheep, 76 (21.78%) samples of goats and 10 (23.81%) samples of buffaloes was positive for F. hepaticaeggs. Molluscs collected were all identified as Lymnaea columella. We noted that the municipalities in the south of Espírito Santo have high rates of F. hepatica in sheep, goats and buffaloes, which makes this region a major focus of dispersal of the parasite, and that the occurrence of previous cases of fascioliasis in the properties was characterized as an epidemiological risk factor for the disease.

本研究旨在调查巴西圣埃斯皮里图州（Espírito Santo）南部10个市镇的绵羊、山羊及水牛体内肝片吸虫（Fasciola hepatica）的感染情况，并分析该地区该病的相关流行危险因素。研究共走访34家饲养绵羊、山羊与水牛的养殖场所，采集上述动物的粪便样本以开展沉淀法检测。结果显示，绵羊粪便样本中共58份呈肝片吸虫虫卵阳性（阳性率13.68%），山羊粪便样本76份阳性（阳性率21.78%），水牛粪便样本10份阳性（阳性率23.81%）。本次采集的软体动物经鉴定均为截口椎实螺（Lymnaea columella）。本研究发现，圣埃斯皮里图州南部各市镇的绵羊、山羊及水牛肝片吸虫感染率较高，使该区域成为该寄生虫的主要传播疫源地；且养殖场所既往存在肝片吸虫病（fascioliasis）发病史，被确定为该病的流行病学危险因素。