Abstract

ARECE GARCIA, Javier et al. Relationship of some hematological indicators with gastrointestinal parasites in sheep. Rev Salud Anim. [online]. 2015, vol.37, n.2, pp.133-135. ISSN 0253-570X.

The aim of the present study was to determine the main hematological indicators and their relationships with the level of infestation by gastrointestinal strongylids and the anemia degree in grazing sheep. For this, 62 animals from two productive entities in Rio de Janeiro were sampled by extracting feces directly from the rectus and blood by jugular vein puncture. The parasite load was determined by the McMaster method and the count of red (RBC) and white blood cells (WBC), hemoglobin (HB), hematocrit (Hct), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) by using an automatic blood analyzer. According to the Hct, the animals were classified as animals with moderated or severe anemia and no anemic animals. Also, the relationship between the hematological variables of the red serie and the parasitic load (Pearson's correlation coefficient) was calculated. The indicators of the red serie were shown to be more affected as the parasitic infestation increased, mainly by Haemonchus contortus, and the animals with severe anemia showed the higher parasite loads and considerable affectations in the amount of red cells, which involved the presence of microcytic microchromic anemia. An inverse relationship between parasite load, the HB and the Hct (p£0.01) was obtained. It was concluded that there was a direct relationship between the parasitism, mainly Haemonchus contortus, and the anemia degree with consequences on the blood red serie.

Keywords : sheep; Haemonchus contortus; haemoglobin; haematocrit; anemia.

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