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). This review focuses on the usability and interpretation of the results of these diagnostic tools. The most advanced technical information on sampling, storage, advantages and limitations of each tool for different types of production operations and animal categories is provided. Graphical abstract

Rhabdomyolysis is a myopathy characterized by severe acute myonecrosis with lysis of muscle cells and extravasation of its content into the bloodstream, causing a secondary renal failure and myoglobinuria. Case-reports have been documented in a wide range of wild or domestic animal species, but to our knowledge, no reports in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) have been done. Three animals had signs of paralysis, muscle tremors and myoglobinuria while others died spontaneously. Samples of blood from affected animals showed increased levels of creatin kinase (CK), potassium (K), aspartate transaminase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). In addition, Selenium (Se) levels of those animals were low. Necropsy findings consisted of severe gelatinous and yellowish edema and pallor of the skeletal muscles of the hind limbs, lumbar, cervical and scapular region. Microscopically, acute and severe segmental monophasic coagulative necrosis of skeletal muscles and acute pigmentary tubular nephrosis was observed. We suspect that selenium deficiency was a predisposing factor of rhabdomyolysis in this particular case.

For years, livestock farmers have relied on the use of anthelmintics as their sole means for controlling helminth infections; however, this strategy has proven to be unsustainable. The current high levels of anthelmintic resistance to multiple drug classes makes it difficult to control parasites using chemical means alone. Furthermore, the lack of new classes of anthelmintic drugs means that the drugs we have now will be all we have for quite a long time. Thus, parasite control needs to be viewed more holistically within an ecological context and practiced in a multi-pronged integrated manner. Here, we review some of the recent literature on parasite control in small ruminants that addresses these issues.

La dictiocaulosis o bronquitis verminosa es ocasionada por Dictyocaulus viviparus, un nematode de ciclo de vida directo, y está asociada mayormente a brotes de enfermedad clínica en bovinos jóvenes en su primera temporada de pastoreo. El presente trabajo describe dos brotes de bronquitis verminosa que provocó la mortandad de entre el 13,6 y el 15,7% de dos rodeos de vacas de cría de establecimientos de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. En ambos brotes, los hallazgos clínico-patológicos en los animales afectados y la presencia de nematodes pulmonares, en algunos casos solo observados en el estudio histopatológico, permitieron confirmar este diagnóstico.

In humans, nematode infections are prevalent in developing countries, causing long-term ill health, particularly in children. Worldwide, nematode infections are prevalent in livestock and pets, affecting productivity and health.