Epidemiological aspects of cysticercose in relation to hydrographic net at triangulo mineiro, MG, Brazil

Abstract

Cysticercosis affects cattle, which develop the larva of Taenia saginata after ingesting their eggs, which are released by humans. It is a parasite that is distributed worldwide. The use of geoprocessing allows a better definition of endemic areas and populations that face different levels of risk and thus creates a basis for specific control programs for each farming system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological situation of bovine cysticercosis in four municipalities in the Triângulo Mineiro region (Romaria, Iraí de Minas, Grupiara and Douradoquara), with special attention given to the influence of the hydrographic network on the spatial distribution of the disease. The properties sampled (68) for laboratory and epidemiological analysis (questionnaire) were also georeferenced. The risk factors were analyzed using the ArcGIS 10.1 program. The animals were submitted to immunodiagnostic tests (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot) for the diagnosis of bovine cysticercosis. After confirming the disease focus properties, the spatial distribution of the cases was analyzed in relation to the watershed of the region. The positive results for bovine cysticercosis on the properties of the municipalities of Romaria and Iraí de Minas were grouped together, which was a significant result (p < 0.01). Although the positive results for bovine cysticercosis in the municipalities of Grupiara and Douradoquara were randomly distributed (p = 0.27), the risk factor that proved to be statistically significant in the regression analysis for cysticercosis transmission was the water source from the river/stream. From the analysis of the map based on the hydrography of the region, it can be observed that for the distribution of positive cases for bovine cysticercosis in the properties, the main risk factor was the interference of the rivers and their tributaries that fed the municipalities sampled. This study allowed the identification of the prevalence of the taeniasis-cysticercosis complex in the properties of the sampled municipalities (53.84% in Romaria, 45.45% in Grupiara, 37.03% in Iraí de Minas and 35.29% in Douradoquara). The results from this study will help in the prevention and control of this zoonosis in the researched areas.