GEOPOLITICAL DISPERSION OF THE OCCURRENCE OF FASCIOLA-HEPATICA IN THE STATE OF SANTA-CATARINA, BRAZIL

During 12 years feces samples from cows, water buffaloes, sheeps and goats were examined by sequencial tamis filtration to show the occurrence of Fasciola hepatica eggs. The material came from 129 municipalities of Santa Catarina State, and 5 g of feces per animal were examined. The occurrence of F. hepatica was confirmed in 64.82% of the municipalities. Considering the host, F. hepatica was confirmed in goats from Florianopolis, Sao Jose, Sao Joao Batista and Guaramirim municipalities; in sheeps from Brusque, Pomerode, Palhoca and Sao Jose; in water buffaloes from 9 and in cows from 86 municipalities. For this study, 13,762 feces samples were examined and in 3,814 the presence of eggs of F. hepatica was demonstrated. The percentage of occurrence for host species was 27.86 in cows, 24.72 in water buffaloes, 16.92 in sheeps and 15.66 in goats. By the results it was demonstrated that Itajai Valley at Southest Hidrographic Basin, in Santa Catarina State is an endemic area of F. hepatica, even though Uruguai Hidrographic Basin was not referred as a geographical record for this parasite.