Abstract INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease is a health problem that affects approximately 7 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Vector transmission is one of the most important routes in South and Central American countries. Between 2013 and 2019, municipalities of Sergipe sent 507 triatomines for analysis, unveiling the largest records found in the south in the villages of Poço da Clara, Alagoinhas and Pilões, and the municipality of Tobias Barreto. The high prevalence of infected vectors in these localities motivated this epidemiological study. METHODS: After educational lectures on the vectors and risks of the disease, a structured questionnaire was administered to identify areas and risk factors for transmission of the parasite. The data guided the collection of vectors and blood samples from domestic reservoirs. RESULTS: The studied region is considered endemic for triatomines infected by Trypanosoma cruzi with three species of vectors; the highest prevalence was Panstrongylus lutzi (54.83%), followed by Triatoma pseudomaculata (43.54%), and Triatoma tibiamaculata (1.61%). In the villages in this study, 100% of the vectors were found intradomically. The coexistence of residents with domestic animals was reported by 62.04% (255) of those surveyed. Forty-one small animals that were actively living with humans at home in the localities were evaluated serologically. No infection was observed in the domestic animals. CONCLUSIONS: There are favorable conditions for the domiciliation of triatomines in the evaluated locations, contributing to the risk of vectorial transmission of Chagas disease.

RESUMO: Megaesôfago é uma enfermidade rara em ruminantes caracterizada por regurgitação do conteúdo ruminal. Neste trabalho, descrevem-se casos de megaesôfago em dois ovinos e dois caprinos no Estado da Paraíba. Todos os animais apresentaram regurgitação do conteúdo ruminal e emagrecimento, com evolução de vários meses. Nas necropsias dos animais, observou-se dilatação esofágica e, em exames histológicos, necrose muscular segmentar no esôfago e músculos esqueléticos. Não foram encontrados anticorpos para o vírus da língua azul nos soros de um ovino e um caprino pela técnica de ELISA. Sangue total e músculo de um caprino resultaram negativos para esse vírus por RT PCR. Sugere-se que a doença seja causada por alguma planta tóxica, mas não foram encontradas plantas conhecidas por causarem necrose segmentar muscular nos piquetes onde ocorreu a doença.

ABSTRACT: Megaesophagus is a rare disease in ruminants characterized by regurgitation of rumen contents. In this paper it was described cases of megaesophagus in two sheep and two goats on a farm in the state of Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil. All animals showed regurgitation of rumen contents and weight loss, with a clinical course of several months. At necropsy all animals presented megaesophagus. Histological examination showed segmental muscle necrosis in the esophagus and skeletal muscles. Serum samples from one sheep and one goat were negative for the presence of blue tongue antibodies by ELISA, and whole blood and muscle samples from one goat were negative for this virus by RT PCR. Epidemiological data and pathology suggested that the disease could have been caused by some toxic plant, but known plants causing segmental muscle necrosis were not observed in the areas where the disease occurred.

Descreve-se um caso de infecção disseminada por Chlorella sp. em um ovino, na região semiárida da Paraíba, Brasil. O animal apresentou emagrecimento e aumento de volume abdominal há um mês. Na necropsia, foram observados nódulos esverdeados em fígado, pulmões, intestino e linfonodos. Histologicamente, os nódulos correspondiam a piogranulomas com miríades de algas intralesionais. Provavelmente, a infecção tenha ocorrido em consequência do consumo de água estagnada ou capim que tinha sido cortado em uma área irrigada, que são condições frequentes no período da seca na região semiárida.

A case of disseminated infection by Chlorella sp. is reported in a sheep in semiarid region of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. The animal showed weight loss and abdominal distension. At necropsy greenish nodules were observed in liver, lung, intestine and lymph nodes. Histologically the nodules corresponded to pyogranulomas with myriad of intralesional algae. Probably the infection occurred as a result of the consumption of stagnant water or grass which had been cut in an irrigated area, conditions that are common in the dry season in the semiarid region.