Abstract
The ratite group is composed of ostriches, rheas, emus, cassowaries and kiwis. Little research has been done on parasitism in these birds. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of infections by gastrointestinal nematodes in ostriches in the state of Rio de Janeiro. For this, fecal samples were collected from 192 on 13 farms. From each sample, four grams of feces were used to determine the eggs per gram of feces (EPG) count, by means of the McMaster technique. Part of the feces sample was used for fecal cultures, to identify 100 larvae per sample. The results were subjected to descriptive central trend and dispersion analysis, using confidence intervals at the 5% error probability level in accordance with the Student t distribution, and Tukey's test with a 95% confidence interval. The mean EPG in the state was 1,557, and the municipality of Três Rios had the lowest average (62). The city of Campos dos Goytacazes presented the highest mean EPG of all the municipalities analyzed. The northern region presented the highest mean EPG, followed by the southern, metropolitan, coastal lowland and central regions. Libyostrongylus species were observed on all the farms: L. douglassii predominated, followed by L. dentatus and Codiostomum struthionis.
Highlights
Nematodes of the genera Libyostrongylus and Codiostomum were probably introduced into Brazil at the time when ostriches were introduced, in the 1990s (AICHINGER et al, 2007)
Libyostrongylus species were observed on all the farms: L. douglassii predominated, followed by L. dentatus and Codiostomum struthionis
The results presented here describe occurrences of gastrointestinal nematodes in ostriches in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Summary
Nematodes of the genera Libyostrongylus and Codiostomum were probably introduced into Brazil at the time when ostriches were introduced, in the 1990s (AICHINGER et al, 2007). This will have been due to deficiencies in sanitary inspection, since there is no standardization by governmental agencies, regarding control over these birds’ parasitic diseases, internal marketing or importation. The best procedure for avoiding infection and subsequent economic loss is to prevent introduction of the parasites into the flock (CRAIG & DIAMOND, 1996). The concentration of C. struthionis found in infected birds was directly correlated with the severity of lesions observed in the caeca
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