RESUMO: O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a ocorrência dos principais parasitos gastrintestinais que acometem caprinos adultos e jovens do município de Quixadá-Ceará durante a época seca e chuvosa, além de identificar e quantificar as espécies de Eimeria presentes no rebanho. Foram utilizados 654 animais, sendo 334 animais no período seco, dos quais eram 149 matrizes e 185 crias e 320 animais no período chuvoso, sendo 106 matrizes e 214 crias, independente de padrão racial e sistema de criação. As coletas foram realizadas nos meses de novembro e dezembro de 2012 e maio de 2013 no município de Quixadá-Ceará e encaminhadas ao Laboratório de Parasitologia da Embrapa Caprinos e Ovinos na cidade de Sobral-Ceará. Foram coletadas fezes para contagem do número de ovos por gramas de fezes (OPG), contagem de Oocistos por gramas de fezes (OOPG), coprocultura e identificação das espécies de Eimeria com base na morfometria. As matrizes apresentaram maiores médias de ovos do tipo Strongyloidea (372,03) e Strongyloides (8,45) no período seco e no período chuvoso apresentaram maiores médias apenas para Strongyloidea (502,85). O inverso aconteceu com o OOPG, onde as crias apresentaram maiores médias no período seco (9387,41) e no chuvoso (9630,37). O gênero de nematódeo mais frequente na coprocultura foi o Trichostrongylus sp. (63,67%) no período seco e o Haemonchus sp. no chuvoso (66,67%). Em 100% dos rebanhos, foram encontrados oocistos de Eimeria, com 81% dos animais infectados. A ocorrência da eimeriose nas categorias jovens e adultas foi de 64,3% e 83,2% no período seco e de 87,4% e 92,4% no período chuvoso. As espécies identificadas foram: Eimeria alijevi, E. apsheronica, E. arloingi, E. caprina, E. caprovina, E. christenseni, E. hirci, E. jolchijevi e E. ninakohlyakimovae. Nas crias a E. alijevi foi a mais freqüente no período seco e a E. ninakohlyakimovae no chuvoso. Já nas matrizes a espécie E. alijevi apresentou a maior frequência em ambos os períodos. Nos rebanhos estudados foi evidenciado a presença de ovos de nematódeos gastrointestinais e oocistos de Eimeria spp. independente da categoria animal.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of main gastrointestinal parasites and to quantify and identify the species of Eimeria present in young goats and adults in the city of Quixadá, Ceará, during the dry and rainy season. Six hundred fifty-four animals were used, with 334 animals during the dry season, which were 149 mothers and 185 offspring and 320 animals during the rainy season, with 106 mothers and 214 offspring, independent of breed standard and creation system. Samples were collected in the months of November and December 2012 and May 2013 in the city of Quixadá, Ceará and sent to the Parasitology Laboratory of Embrapa Goats and Sheep at Sobral, Ceará, feces were collected for counting the number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG), counting oocysts per gram of feces (OOPG), coproculture and identification of Eimeria species based on the morphometry. Matrices showed higher means egg type Strongyloidea (372.03) and Strongyloides (8.45) in the dry season and the rainy season had higher mean only to Strongyloidea (502.85). The inverse happened to OOPG, where the offspring showed higher means in the dry season (9387.41) and rainy (9630.37). The genus most frequent of nematode in coprocultures was Trichostrongylus. (63.67%) in the dry season and Haemonchus sp. the rainy (66.67%). One hundred percent of the herds, oocysts of Eimeria were found, with 81% of infected animals. The occurrence of eimeriosis in young and adult categories was 64.3% and 83.2% in the dry season and 87.4% and 92.4% during the rainy season. The species identified were: Eimeria alijevi, E. apsheronica, E. arloingi, E. caprina, E. caprovina, E. christenseni, E. hirci, E.and E. jolchijevi ninakohlyakimovae. In the offspring E. alijevi was the most frequent in the dry season and the rainy E. ninakohlyakimovae. Already in matrices the species E. Alijevi showed the highest frequency in both periods. In herds studied it evidenced the presence of gastrointestinal nematodes eggs and oocysts of Eimeria spp. independent of animal category.

Apesar de sua conhecida resistência, os ovinos estão sujeitos as endoparasitoses, sendo este o principal fator limitante para a sua produção em todo o mundo, especialmente em regiões tropicais. Este trabalho objetiva avaliar a carga parasitária, o perfil hematológico e bioquímico sérico, e o grau Famacha de ovinos sem padrão racial definido infectados e tratados com ivermectina e closantel. O trabalho foi realizado no mês de julho de 2010, numa propriedade rural no município de Mossoró-RN. Foram selecionados 41 animais, os quais foram divididos em três grupos: grupo I- controle (sem tratamento), grupo II- tratado com ivermectina (0,2mg/kg) e Grupo III- tratado com closantel (5mg/kg). As amostras de fezes foram coletadas nos dias 0, 7, 14 e 21, pós-tratamento para análise quantita tiva (OPG) e para análise qualitativa (coprocultura), foram utilizadas amostras dos dias 0, 14 e 21. A primeira coleta de sangue se deu no dia 0, a segunda e a terceira 24 e 72 horas após a primeira, respectivamente, a quarta e a quinta 7 e 14 dias após a primeira, dos quais foram analisados o hemograma, os níveis séricos de proteínas totais, albumina e globulinas, e a relação albumina/globulinas. Foi determinado o grau Famacha de cada animal em todos os momentos de coleta de amostras. O tratamento com closantel foi eficaz no tratamento das helmintoses, principalmente Haemonchus contortus, nos ovinos avaliados. Por outro lado, houve resistência dos parasitas à ivermectina. Os dados de Famacha apresentaram correlação negativa com hematócrito, leucócitos, hemoglobina, albumina, proteínas totais, globulinas e relação albumina/globulinas. O hematócrito apresentou uma correlação forte e positiva com Hemoglobina, Albumina e Proteínas totais. Os tratamentos com closantel e ivermectina não foram responsáveis por alterações consideráveis nos parâmetros hematológicos e bioquímicos avaliados.

Despite its known resistance, the sheep are subject to endoparasitoses, which are the main limiting factor for its production worldwide, especially in tropical regions. This study aims to evaluate the changes in parasitic load, serum biochemical and hematological panel, and Famacha scores of mixed-bred sheep naturally infected with nematodes and treated with ivermectin and closantel. The study was conducted at July 2010, in a farm in the municipality of Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil. We selected 41 animals were divided into three groups: group I- control (without treatment), group II- treated with ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg), and Group III- treated with closantel (5mg/kg). Stool samples were collected on days 0, 7, 14 and 21 after treatment for quantitative analysis (EPG) and qualitative analysis (stool culture), we used samples from days 0, 14 and 21. The first blood sample was given on day 0, the second and third 24 and 72 hours after the first, respectively the fourth and fifth 7 and 14 days after the first of which analyzed the blood count, serum total protein, albumin and globulins, and albumin/globulins ratio. Famacha scores were determined the degree of each animal at all times of sampling. Closantel administration was effective in the treatment of helminthiasis, especially Haemonchus contortus in evaluated sheep. On the other hand, there was parasite resistance to ivermectin. Famacha data showed negative correlation with packed cell volume, leukocytes, hemoglobin, albumin, total protein, globulin and albumin/globulin ratio. The packed cell volume showed a strong and positive correlation with hemoglobin, albumin and total protein. Treatment with ivermectin and closantel were not responsible for considerable changes in hematological and biochemical parameters evaluated.

Worm infection is one of the main factors responsible for economic losses in sheep breeding in Brazil. Random regression analysis was used to estimate genetic parameters for the factors faecal egg-count (FEC), packed-cell volume (PCV) and body weight (BW) in Santa Inês lambs. Data from 119 female, offspring of nine rams, were collected between December, 2005 and December, 2006, from the experimental flock of Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation located in Frei Paulo, SE, Brazil. After weaning, females were drenched until the faecal egg count had dropped to zero. Two natural challenges were undertaken. FEC heritability was extremely variable, this increasing from 0.04 to 0.27 in the first challenge and from 0.01 to 0.52 during the second. PCV heritability peaks were 0.31 and 0.12 in the first and second challenges, respectively. In the second challenge, BW heritability was close to 0.90. The genetic correlations among these traits did not differ from zero. There is the possibility of increasing parasite resistance in Santa Inês by selecting those animals with lower FEC. Selection to increase resistance will not adversely affect lamb-growth, although lambs with a slow growth-rate may be more susceptible to infection.

The ultrastructure of endogenous stages of Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae was observed in epithelial cells of cecum and colon crypts from a goat experimentally infected with 2.0 x 105 oocysts/kg. The secondary meronts developed above the nucleus of the host cell. The nucleus first divides and merozoites then form on the surface of multinucleated meronts. Free merozoites in the parasitophorous vacuole present a conoid, double membrane, one pair of rhoptries, micronemes, micropore, anterior and posterior polar ring, a nucleus with a nucleolus and peripheral chromatin. The microgamonts are located below the nucleus of the host cell and contain several nuclei at the periphery of the parasite. The microgametes consist of a body, a nucleus, three flagella and mitochondria. The macrogamonts develop below the nucleus of the host cell and have a large nucleus with a prominent nucleolus. The macrogametes contain a nucleus, wall-forming bodies of type I and type II. The young oocysts present a wall containing two layers and a sporont