Article
Allergic dermatitis caused by Culicoides in Texel sheep in the state of Pará, Brazil
Registro en:
OLIVEIRA, Carlos Alberto; et al. Allergic dermatitis caused by Culicoides in Texel sheep in the state of Pará, Brazil. Pesq. Vet. Bras., v.37, n.4, p.301-306, Abr. 2017.
0100-736X
1678-5150
Autor
Oliveira, Carlos Alberto
Silva, Antonio Ozemir Fialho
Cerqueira, Valíria D.
Scofield, Alessandra
Almeida, Milton Begeres
Riet-Correa, Franklin
Felippe-Bauer, Maria L.
Riet-Correa, Gabriela
Resumen
Allergic dermatitis was studied at a farm located in the municipality of Castanhal in the
state of Pará, Brazil, from December 2009 to December 2012. Clinical and epidemiological
data were obtained during monthly visits to the farm. Skin biopsies were performed for
histopathological examinations, and insects were captured with Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) traps and live-bait entomological vacuum devices. The property
housed a herd of both genders, with 45 Santa Inês sheep of different ages and 72 Texel
adults. Of the 72 Texel sheep, 56 were affected. Of these, 24 exhibited alopecia, erythema,
edema, and crust in the ears, on top of the head, and less often, around the eyes. In addition
to the lesions described above, 14 animals exhibited hyperpigmentation of the ears and/or
around the eyes and crust in the nose. Another 18 animals exhibited chronic lesions characterized
by deformed and thickened ears, alopecia with hyperpigmentation, and in most
cases, secondary bacterial infections with abscesses and/or myiasis. Some of these animals
had lost part of their ears. Histologically, the lesions were characterized as orthokeratotic
hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, vacuolization, and necrosis of epidermal cells. An inflammatory
infiltrate was present in the dermis, which was composed mainly of eosinophils and
macrophages, some lymphocytes and mast cells, and few neutrophils, in addition to edema
and collagen deposition. The Santa Inês sheep were not affected. Among the captured
insects, 294 specimens of Culicoides (Hoffmania) plaumanni Spinelli, 57 specimens of C.
(Hoffmania) insignis Lutz, and 27 specimens of other Culicoides species were identified. We
conclude that C. plaumanni, C. insignis, and possibly other Culicoides species are involved
in the etiology of allergic dermatitis in Texel sheep in the state of Pará. Santa Inês sheep in
the same region and under the same conditions were not affected, which suggests lower
susceptibility of these animals.