Prevalence and risk factors for Cysticercus tenuicollis in goats and sheep in Paraíba, northeastern Brazil

• Main Authors: Dayana Firmino de Morais, Vinícius Longo Ribeiro Vilela, Thais Ferreira Feitosa, Vinícius Mamede dos Santos, Vitória Régia Gouveia, Ana Célia Rodrigues Athayde, Sérgio Santos de Azevêdo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colégio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria
• Series: Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária
• Subjects: Caprinovinocultura; cestódeo; Taenia hydatigena
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1984-29612017005001104&lng=en&tlng=en

Abstract This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for C. tenuicollis among goats and sheep in slaughterhouses in Paraíba. 390 animals (195 goats and 195 sheep) in the municipalities of Patos and Esperança, Paraíba, Brazil, were inspected between February and May 2014. The prevalence of C. tenuicollis was 39% (76/195) in goats and 17.4% (34/195) in sheep. In both species, most of the cysticerci vesicles were located at the omentum and mesentery. The only risk factor found was extensive sheep farming. It can be concluded that C. tenuicollis is highly prevalent in small ruminants in Paraíba, being more prevalent in goats than in sheep. Extensively-reared sheep were twice as likely to develop infection by this parasite.