Publications by authors named "Fernando de Almeida Borges"

This review outlines the current state of anthelmintic resistance (AHR) of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) among cattle in Argentina and Brazil, emphasizing the economic repercussions, animal health and welfare. The analysis explores factors associated with AHR and proposes a potential solution: the use of drug combinations. Both countries are grappling with a severe AHR scenario in cattle, having progressed through incipient, established, and advanced phases, leading to extreme cases of animal mortality due to ineffective control strategies.

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This study aimed to verify the number of R. microplus annual generations in irrigated and non-irrigated pastures compared to the constant ideal environment. It also sought to evaluate the biology of the non-parasitic phase of this tick for each generation in these different areas of pasture; assess the larvae population dynamics in the pasture of each tick generation, and evaluate the R.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study assessed the impact of various supportive treatments on improving packed cell volume (PCV) in dairy calves infected with tick fever agents, following specific antibiotic treatments.
  • Five supportive products were tested on Girolando female calves, aged four to six months, which were naturally infected and infested with R. microplus, with evaluations made on days 0, 3, and 7 post-treatment.
  • Results indicated that while oral or intravenous vitamins and minerals improved PCV, certain tonics showed no positive effects, and only Type III iron injections significantly raised hemoglobin and PCV levels, highlighting the need for further research on iron supplementation methods.
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The aim of the present study was to validate methods of stool sample conservation for the egg hatch test (EHT). This study involved the use of a bovine naturally infected predominantly by Cooperia spp. and one equine naturally infected predominantly by cyathostomins characterized as susceptible to benzimidazoles in the EHT.

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This study aimed to investigate seven outbreaks of A. marginale infection in two regions of Brazil, affecting taurine, zebu, and crossbred cattle. We assessed the possible causes, treatment measures, and genetic diversity of A.

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Biomarkers are specific molecular, histological, or physiological characteristics of normal or pathogenic biological processes and are promising in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs). Although some biomarkers have been validated for infection by Ostertagia sp. in cattle raised in temperate regions, there is a lack of information for tropical regions.

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  • Tungiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by the sand flea Tunga penetrans, with dogs serving as significant reservoirs in Brazil.
  • This study assessed the effectiveness of a single oral dose of fluralaner (Bravecto) in reducing flea infestations in 64 dogs over 42 days in a rural Brazilian community.
  • Results showed that more than 95% of treated dogs were free of fleas by day 21, and up to 100% were free by day 42, demonstrating a strong association between treatment and reduction of infestation and lesions.
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Background: The occurrence of higher winter temperatures in Brazilian areas with tropical and highland climates may result in a fifth peak of tick populations during winter in addition to the four generations previously described. Therefore, a strategic control protocol was developed with treatments in two seasons with the objective of controlling the generations of ticks that occur in spring/summer and those that occur in autumn/winter.

Methods: The study was conducted in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, from the beginning of the rainy season, November 2020, to October 2021.

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Background: In Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, a region with a subtropical climate, Rhipicephalus microplus is present in taurine cattle raised for beef and milk. In addition, ticks resistant to multiple acaricides are present in this region. Recently, fluralaner (isoxazoline) was launched on the market.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to find the best timing and number of acaricide treatments for controlling cattle ticks in tropical regions, comparing three treatment groups over a year.
  • - The T02 group, which started treatment in early spring during the first tick generation, needed significantly fewer treatments (nine) compared to the T01 group (eleven), and experienced a lower tick burden overall.
  • - Starting the tick control program in early spring proves more effective than autumn, benefiting animal welfare and addressing acaricide resistance concerns.
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Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of different treatment strategies using a new commercial formulation containing pour-on fluralaner on Rhipicephalus microplus infestation in cattle and in pastures in a tropical climate region where up to five generations of this tick species can occur per year.

Methods: Forty-five naturally infested cattle were divided into three experimental groups: T01, treated with fluralaner (2.5 mg/kg) pour-on every 42 days; T02, the cattle received the first treatment with fluralaner on Day 0 but the next treatment involved a weekly visual evaluation; T03, control, received palliative treatment with a spray formulation when the group mean was ≥ 30 ticks.

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Background: The sand flea Tunga penetrans is one of the agents of tungiasis, an important parasitic skin disease affecting humans and several mammalian species. Tungiasis is mainly observed in disadvantaged rural and peripheral urban communities in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. The dog is a major reservoir of Tunga fleas.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study evaluates the effectiveness of fluralaner, a new active pharmaceutical ingredient, in treating ectoparasite infestations in cattle in Brazil through a series of 13 clinical trials using a 5% pour-on formulation called Exzolt.
  • - Results showed that Exzolt achieved over 98% therapeutic efficacy within 4 days post-treatment for multiple ectoparasites, including *Rhipicephalus microplus* and *Cochliomyia hominivorax*, with significantly prolonged efficacy lasting up to 79 days.
  • - The findings confirm that Exzolt is a promising new treatment for cattle ectoparasites and could help manage infestations where resistance to existing treatments is an issue.
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This study compared selective control versus strategic control against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, under conditions of a real dairy farm. Strategic control requires that all animals be treated with acaricide at regular pre-determined intervals. Selective control only requires treatment of infested animals and only when they are at or above a pre-determined threshold.

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of increasing levels of extruded urea (EU, Amireia®) in the diet of lambs naturally infected by gastrointestinal nematodes on the interactions in the host-pasture-soil components in edaphoclimatic conditions of the tropical rainy savanna. A total of 60 Texel lambs with a mean initial weight of 20.7 ± 0.

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The diagnostics of ruminant parasites remains one of the cornerstones for parasite control best practices. Field veterinarians have several techniques at their disposal (fecal egg count, coproculture, FAMACHA®, plasma pepsinogen, ELISA-Ostertagia, ELISA-Fasciola, Baermann and ELISA-Lungworm) for the identification and/or quantification of gastrointestinal nematodes, lungworms and liver fluke infecting small ruminants and cattle. Each of these diagnostic tools has its own strengths and weaknesses and is more appropriate for a specific production operation and/or age of the animal (young and adults).

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The sand flea Tunga penetrans is one of the zoonotic agents of tungiasis, a parasitic skin disease of humans and animals. The dog is one of its main reservoirs. This negatively controlled, randomized, double-masked clinical trial evaluated the therapeutic and residual efficacy of fluralaner for treatment of dogs naturally infested with T.

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Gastrointestinal nematodes negatively impact the health and productivity of livestock. Macrocyclic lactones (MLs) are the most common class of chemicals used in helminth control programs, however, their intense use is accelerating the development of parasite resistance. For cattle, little is known regarding the relationship between fecal egg counts (FECs) and the helminth population inside the animal's gastrointestinal tract and so this study evaluated the correlation between FEC and worm burden in cattle treated or not with MLs (ivermectin 200 μg/kg, ivermectin 630 μg/kg, abamectin 200 μg/kg, doramectin 700 μg/kg and moxidectin 200 μg/kg).

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The aim of the present study was to describe an outbreak of poisoning by abamectin in calves less than four months of age whose mothers were treated with a pour-on product containing this ingredient. The diagnosis was based on the history, clinical signs, absence of macroscopic and histopathological findings (characteristic of this type of poisoning) and the detection of abamectin in tissues of the animals submitted to necropsy. Based on this report, the recommendation is the use with caution of pour-on formulations containing abamectin on cows having given birth less than four months earlier.

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Studies on the rearing of ewe lambs in the Cerrado are scarce, so the objective was to evaluate the effects of protein-energy supplementation with 1.6 and 2.4% BW on the productive and reproductive performance of ewe lambs raised on pastures of Brachiaria brizantha cv.

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Southern cattle tick resistance to pour-on and injectable acaricides has yet to be evaluated on a broader scope, and the paucity of information on the subject may hinder efforts to control this parasite. The objective of this study was to evaluate the resistance profile of ten populations of Rhipicephalus microplus to the acaricides fluazuron, fipronil and ivermectin in cattle herds in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The larval immersion test (LIT) was used to evaluate susceptibility to ivermectin and fipronil and the adult immersion test (AIT) was performed to evaluate fluazuron.

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The objective of this study was to evaluate two different gastrointestinal nematode treatment regimens. Fecal egg counts (FECs), proportion of nematode genera, weight gain, body condition score and reproductive indices (estrous cyclicity, conception and pregnancy rates) were evaluated in yearling heifers after imposing two treatment regimens for gastrointestinal nematodes: T1 = 306 calves treated in May and November with 3.5 % doramectin (700 μg/kg) and August (Aug) with saline solution; and T2 = 307 calves treated in May with 3.

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Article Synopsis
  • Tungiasis, a public health issue in resource-poor areas, is primarily spread by the parasite Tunga spp., with dogs acting as significant hosts.
  • A study of 40 infested dogs in northeastern Brazil found that most lesions (89.1%) were on paw pads, and younger dogs experienced more infestations, but dark pigmentation hindered visibility of lesions.
  • Clinical signs included hyperemia, pain, and lameness, and targeting early-stage infections is crucial for effective control, emphasizing the need for ongoing preventive measures in affected communities.
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The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of 1 % injectable doramectin to control Dermatobia hominis in naturally infested beef cattle in a farm with history of clinical parasitism after avermectin use. The study was conducted in a commercial beef cattle farm in Brazil. Twenty crossbred cattle (Nellore x Angus) were selected based on the minimum number of 10 live larvae.

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