Estudo da contaminação ambiental por parasitos zoonóticos no entorno e interior de escolas municipais e praias de Pelotas, RS, Brasil, e relação do grau da carga parasitária com parâmetros hematológicos de cães

Abstract

Currently, dogs and cats are part of the family structure and are often considered members of the family. However, for this relationship to be harmonious, care must be taken with the health of these animals, as they are hosts of several potentially zoonotic parasites, which can contaminate the environment through feces, representing a source of infection for other animals and also for man. A factor routinely involved in the veterinary clinic with the immune response to parasites along with the performance of the blood count technique is the detection of eosinophilia, however, there are no studies demonstrating a correlation associated with the degree of parasitism and eosinophils in dogs. Thus, the aim of this thesis was to analyze the prevalence of potentially zoonotic parasites in the surroundings and interior of municipal schools and beaches in Pelotas, RS, Brazil, and to determine the relationship of the degree of parasite load with hematological parameters in dogs. The first article aimed to identify the presence of potentially zoonotic parasite eggs, cysts and oocysts in fecal samples of dogs and cats around municipal schools in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and in sand samples from their recreation squares. The material came from 41 schools in the city's seven districts. Stool samples were analyzed using the techniques of Willis Mollay; Faust and Hoffmann, Pons and Janer. The sand, in turn, through the fluctuation centrifuge techniques; Hoffmann, Pons and Janer and de Rugai. 71.3% (119/167) of the fecal samples were positive for parasites, with Ancylostoma being the most prevalent genus, identified in 52.1% of the samples. In the sands there was a predominance of Toxocara spp., and Ancylostoma spp., observed in 18.7% and 14.8% respectively of the recreation squares. The second article aimed to determine the prevalence of evolutionary forms of gastrointestinal parasites in dogs, in fecal samples collected on the beaches of the municipality of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Between the months of September 2018 and August 2019, 12 monthly samples were collected in each of the three studied beaches, totaling 36 monthly samples and 432 in total. The techniques used for analysis were: Willis-Molay; Faust and Hoffman, Pons and Janer. 73.4%(317/432) of the samples were positive for some genus of parasite. Eggs of Ancylostoma spp. were prevalent in all beaches, present in 54.6% of the samples. The third article sought to determine the frequency of gastrointestinal parasites and hemoparasites in dogs and cats treated in the hospital routine of the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Pelotas. For this work, 114 fecal samples (90 from dogs and 24 from cats) and 101 blood samples (93 from dogs and 8 from cats) were analyzed. The coproparasitological techniques used were: Willis Mollay; Faust and Hoffmann, Pons and Janer. The search for hemoparasites was performed through blood smear stained with rapid panotic. 55.5% and 41.7% of fecal samples from dogs and cats, respectively, were positive for gastrointestinal parasites, being Ancylostoma spp. prevalent in dogs and Toxocara spp. in cats. Of the blood samples from dogs, 35.5% were positive for hemoparasites, while in cats, the positivity was 12.5%. The fourth article is the case report of Platinosomiasis in two domestic cats in the city of Pelotas, RS. This pathology is caused by the trematode Platynosomum spp., and mainly affects the liver and bile ducts, being responsible for chronic cholangitis. This report aimed to describe the coproparasitological diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Finally, the fifth article aimed to relate the degree of parasite load with eosinophilia in dogs. Fecal and blood samples from 86 naturally parasitized dogs were used, grouped into three groups, according to the parasite load: Group A (1 to 500 eggs); Group B (501 to 1000 eggs) and Group C (above 1000 eggs). Animals with a history of eosinophilia-stimulating diseases were not included in the study. Eosinophilia was observed in 40.7% of the dogs, and this blood parameter was the only one that showed a statistically significant difference between the groups, indicating that the increase in the parasite load is related to eosinophilia.