Spatial distribution and epidemiology of bovine cysticercosis in the state of São Paulo

• Grant number: 19/22582-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2020
• End date: March 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Products of Animal Origin Inspection
• Principal Investigator: Gabriel Augusto Marques Rossi
• Grantee: Vinicius Cardoso Comin
• Host Institution: Centro Universitário Central Paulista (UNICEP). Associação de Escolas Reunidas (ASSER). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The complex caused by Taenia saginata is a cosmopolitan zoonosis that infects human beings (taeniosis) and bovine (cysticercosis), which is widely reported in developed and undeveloped countries with poor basic sanitation. This complex is considered a problem for public and animal health resulting in economic losses for beef production chain (cattle farmers and slaughterhouses) due to condemnation of carcasses and viscera during the inspection. In Brazil, there were performed some studies in slaughterhouses focused on establishing its prevalence; however, most of them sampled a small number of animals in a single slaughterhouse and without considering animals' origin. Furthermore, just a few studies focused on establishing the risk factors for animal infection and its spatial distribution, which could allow improvements on the knowledge about its epidemiology and consequently on the adoption of more efficient preventive practices in higher-risk areas to control it. The spatial distribution of bovine cysticercosis is known on few Brazilian states, however, up to now, there is no complete study performed in the state of São Paulo that allowed establishing which are the high-risk regions and municipalities and neither the risk factors that contribute for its endemicity. Thus, this study aims: to establish the prevalence of bovine cysticercosis in the State of São Paulo during 2017 and 2018; to know its spatial distribution within the state and establish which are the high-risk areas and municipalities; to establish possible risk factors for its occurrence, and estimate the economic losses for farmers. This data will provide important information to determine the areas that urgent require prophylactic practices to control this important zoonosis considered as an important problem for public health and one of the most important caused of economic loss for beef production chain in the state, which has the 8th biggest cattle herd in Brazil.