COMPARAÇÃO DA PREVALÊNCIA DE Cryptosporidium spp. EM EQUINOS DE TRAÇÃO E EM ATLETAS DO JOCKEY CLUB DE SANTA MARIA, RS, BRASIL

• Published in: Ciência animal brasileira Vol. 11; no. 2; pp. 436 - 440
• Main Authors: Toscan, Gustavo, Carneiro Fontoura Pereira, Roberta, Araujo, Luciana, Sangioni, Luis Antonio, Silveira Flores Vogel, Fernanda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal de Goiás 23.06.2010
• Subjects: Cryptosporidium spp; equine; prevalence
• ISSN: 1518-2797; 1809-6891; 1089-6891
• DOI: 10.5216/cab.v11i2.4522

This study was conducted in order to compare theprevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in cart horses and in theathletes resident in the city of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Therefore,stool samples were collected directly from the rectal ampoules of104 animals, male and female, of Puro Sangue Inglês breed (PSI)and of no defined breed (NDB), with ages ranging from 5 months to20 years. To search the protozoan the method of flotation in ZnSO433% was used, and the oocists found were measured and classified.Among the cart horses analyzed, the presence of Cryptosporidiumspp was detected in 38.5% of the fecal samples (20/52), while inathlete horses there was presence of the parasite oocysts in 80.8%(42/52) of the samples. Considering the age groups evaluated,there was a higher prevalence of Crytosporidium spp. in youngeranimals among the cart horses. In the group of athletes fromJockey Club any differences in prevalence concerning the ageswere observed. It is concluded that there is a large number of hostanimals and asymptomatic carriers excreting oocysts in their feces,contributing to a possible source of infection for other individualsand representing a risk to public health, especially to the coachmen,trainers and handlers.