Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Trypanosomiasis and bovine babesiosis correspond to important diseases that cause great economic losses, but there are still no studies evaluating their occurrence in herds of dairy cattle in Ceará. The aim of this study was to perform molecular diagnosis of the main hemoparasites of dairy cows in the microregion of the central hinterland of Ceará. METHODS: For the molecular diagnosis of parasites, genomic material was extracted and polymerase chain reaction directed to the cdCatL-like gene for Trypanossoma vivax and SS rRNA of Babesia bigemina and Babesia. bovis was performed. In addition, the mean corpuscular volume of the samples was evaluated. The data were statistically processed. RESULTS: T. vivax was detected in 0.40% (1/246) of the samples, while B. bigemina and B. bovis were detected in 20.62% (33/160) and 11.87% (19/160) of the samples, respectively. It was found that there was a reduction in mean corpuscular volume in animals that presented with co-infection and those infected by B. bovis only, but not in those hosting B. bigemina alone. The variables "purchase of recent animals" and "tick control" had no association with or influence on B. bovis and/or B. bigemina infection. It was possible to identify epidemiologically important factors that may facilitate the transmission of trypanosoma to healthy animals, such as the recent purchase of animals and use of the same needle and syringe for oxytocin application. CONCLUSIONS: The pathogens studied were present in the evaluated population. Daily cow management practices can facilitate the transmission of the diseases they cause.