Abstract
Although anemia has been historically linked to Haemonchus contortus infection, other infectious agents, such as hemotropic mycoplasmas and tick-borne disease pathogens, may also lead to anemic crisis in sheep. This study has aimed to investigate infections related to anemia in a sheep herd from Bandeirantes City, Paraná State, southern Brazil. Seven out of forty-two (16.6%; 95% CI: 8.32-30.6%) sheep were positive for hemoplasmas by a PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene and all tested negative for A. marginale/A. ovis and Babesia/Theileria spp. by PCR based on msp4 and 18S rRNA genes, respectively. Two (4.7%; 95% CI: 1.32-15.79%) animals were infested with Rhipicephalus microplus ticks. Fecal egg counting was performed in 38 sheep and 24 (63.15%; 95% CI: 47.2-76.6%) presented > 500 eggs per gram. Phylogenetic analysis of partial sequences of the detected hemotropic Mycoplasma sp. 16S and 23S rRNA genes confirmed that the animals were infected with Mycoplasma ovis. Polymorphism analysis of partial 16S rRNA sequences showed three different genotypes of M. ovis infecting sheep assessed in the present study. Mycoplasma ovis and gastrointestinal nematodes occurs in sheep from the northern region of Paraná State.
Highlights
Brazilian sheep herd has been estimated to comprise more than 18 million animals
Sete (16,6%; 95% CI: 8,32–30,6%) de 42 ovinos foram positivos para hemoplasmas pela Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCR) do gene 16S rRNA, enquanto todos foram negativos para A. marginale/A. ovis e Babesia/Theileria spp. por ensaios da PCR baseados nos genes msp4 e 18S rRNA, respectivamente
Anemia is commonly linked to H. contortus infection in sheep, it is noteworthy that other infectious agents, such as hemotropic mycoplasmas and vector-borne pathogens (VBP) may lead to anemic crisis (Yeruham et al, 1998; Neimark et al, 2004; Hornok et al, 2009; Alessandra & Santo, 2012)
Summary
Brazilian sheep herd has been estimated to comprise more than 18 million animals. The southern region of Brazil is home to 30% of the herd, which are mainly reared for meat production (IBGE, 2016). Anemia is considered a concerning condition for animal health leading to production losses. Gastrointestinal (GI) parasites and vector-borne pathogens (VBP) have been considered an important cause of anemia in sheep worldwide. The GI parasite Haemonchus contortus, which parasitizes the sheep’s abomasum and causes acute hemorrhagic anemia, may lead to sudden death and important losses in sheep industry (Lane et al, 2015; Taylor et al, 2007). Anemia is commonly linked to H. contortus infection in sheep, it is noteworthy that other infectious agents, such as hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) and VBP may lead to anemic crisis (Yeruham et al, 1998; Neimark et al, 2004; Hornok et al, 2009; Alessandra & Santo, 2012).
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