Soroprevalência e fatores de risco para neosporose caprina no estado de Goiás, região do Cerrado brasileiro

Abstract

Goat farming is growing in Goiás, providing jobs, income and economic development for the state. While attention to health care is essential to avoid factors that negatively affect herd productivity, etiological agents cause economic losses in animal production. Considered one of the main parasitic agents that promote reproductive problems, including abortions in female cattle, Neospora caninum is an obligate intracellular protozoan responsible for economic losses in goat farming on different continents. However, despite its epidemiological importance within the goat species, there are still no studies on the distribution of this parasite in this animal species in the state of Goiás, a fact that motivated the proposal of the present research, with the objective of evaluating the occurrence of N. caninum infection in goats. For this purpose, 781 serological samples of goats obtained by the official service of the Goiás Agricultural Defense Agency (AGRODEFESA) from all regions of the state were analyzed. The samples were subjected to anti-N. caninum antibody (IgG) testing using indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFAT). Data on sex, age of animals, property size, water source, breed, breeding system, purpose (meat, milk or mixed), and presence of domestic and wild canines were obtained at the time of sampling. The results of the immunofluorescence test revealed that 18.56% (145/781) of the samples were positive. Caprine neosporosis is distributed in all mesoregions evaluated in the state of Goiás, with higher seropositivity rates for N. caninum in the Northwest 27.83% (32/115), North 26.59% (25/94) and Central 23.48% (31/132) mesoregions. The breeding system, purpose, carcass disposal and veterinary assistance were the risk factors statistically associated with the occurrence of neosporosis in goats.