Lamb ’s Eimeria infections raised in a steppic region and their impacts on clinical indicators (FAMACHA © and Disco)

The objective was to identify by the microscopic morphology of oocysts theEimeria species that infect lambs in a steppe region of eastern Algeria, as well as to evaluate on these parasites two clinical indicators of diarrhea (Disco) and anemia (FAMACHA ©) used in targeted selective treatments against gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). This present work completes the previous evaluations carried out in steppe conditions in our laboratory on GIN and cestodes. All these enteric parasites can influence these indicators. They constitute by their morbid ity and their presence, alone or concomitantly, a factor determining or aggravating diarrhea, the main problem of sheep farming. The prevalence ofEimeria sp. oocysts was 56.2%. Eight species were identified:E. intricata (50.3%),E. bakuensis (43.6%),E. ovinoidalis (27.6%),E. crandallis (23.9%),E. parva (20.9%),E. weybridgensis (13.5%),E. pallida (9.2%) andE. ashata (6.7%). Unlike GIN and Cestodes where only Disco was affected,E. ovinoidalis was strongly affecting both indicators, whileE. crandalis was slightly less affecting. This confirms the pathogenicity of these two species and suggests that their presence should also be taken into consideration.
Source: Journal of Parasitic Diseases - Category: Parasitology Source Type: research