| Summary: | Eng: Fasciola hepatica, a trematode that parasitizes the bile ducts of ruminants and
humans, is considered one of the most important endoparasites within animal
production systems for causing productive losses, since being hematophagous, the
parasite produces states of anemia, emaciation and cachexia in the host;
Additionally, infections by this trematode have an economic impact generated by the
costs associated with treatment and by the confiscation of organs at slaughter to
avoid food transmission. The objective of the present investigation was to identify
coproantigens of F. hepatica in sheep from the municipality of Cocuy, Boyacá. A
cross-sectional study was carried out, with a sample size of 373 sheep.
Approximately 20g of fecal matter was collected from each animal directly from the
rectum and refrigerated at 4°C during transport to the laboratory, where they were
processed using the commercial kit MONOSCREEN Ag ELISA Fasciola hepatica
REF: BIO K201/2 following the instructions of the maker; Subsequently, a statistical
analysis was carried out with the EpiInfoTM program. A general prevalence of 12.87%
(48/373) was considered, where females (13.31%), sheep between 1-3 years old
(16.43%) and Colombian Creole Moorish sheep (15.22%) had a higher prevalence
compared to the other groups. The consumption of water from pipes or streams (p=
0.04258132) and the presence of cattle in production (p= 0.02023329) had a
significant statistical association with the presentation of F. hepatica. Using logistic
regression, it is determined that sheep aged 1–3 years are risk factors for the
presentation of F. hepatica in sheep from Cocuy, Boyacá. The existence of an active
infection by F. hepatica in a considerable percentage of animals is demonstrated,
which indicates a possible endemicity of the parasite in the area and demonstrates
the importance of implementing prevention and control strategies to promote the
profitability of production, as well as also help protect public health
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