Abstract:
Cysticercosis can affect cattle which develop the larvae Taenia saginata. Despite the importance of cysticercosis for public animal health and for the economy, the epidemiological reality of such zoonosis in Brazil is little known. In the southeastern region of the State of Minas Gerais most of the data are obtained from the official Sanitary InspectionServices in slaughterhouses, but little information based on field data from live animals. In order to assess the epidemiological situation of bovine cysticercosis in small and medium-sized rural properties of four municipalities, located in the region of Triângulo Mineiro, we searched the occurrence and the major risk factors associated with transmission of the disease in those properties. We conducted a cross-sectional epidemiological study involving 68 properties located in rural areas of the four municipalities, where there were collected 1002 bovine blood samples and applied an epidemiological questionnaire. The serological diagnosis of cysticercosis was conducted by sorting through indirect ELISA test, and the suspected cases were subjected to Immunoblot for confirmation. This study revealed the prevalence of 4.7% of bovine cysticercosis in rural properties of the municipalities sampled from July to August 2013. The factors which were statistically significant for the transmission of cysticercosis were the expertise of those responsible for the property (OR 5.81 IC 1,87-8.66), the family income (OR 6.02 IC 1.33-8.77) and the water quality of the property (OR 9.40 IC 1.97-9.59). Other factors observed were of lower significance. These results identified the main factors which interfere in the transmission of bovine cysticercosis, allowing to subsidize preventive measures and to control this important zoonotic disease in the region of Triângulo Mineiro.
Index Terms:
Taenia saginata; cysticercosis; serological; ELISA; Immunoblot; prevalence; risk factors; prevention; cattle
