Epidemiology of Dictyocaulus viviparus in Louisiana (U.S.A.)

An epidemiological investigation was conducted during a 1-year period on a permanent pasture naturally contaminated with Dictyocaulus viviparus and grazed by a varying number of yearling cattle. Seasonal variation in pasture infectivity to cattle was monitored by monthly slaughter of tracer calves, slaughter of pairs of resident yearlings at 30-60-day intervals, herbage larval recovery and by counts of first stage larvae in feces (modified Baermann technique) of resident cattle. A clinical outbreak of dictyocauliasis occurred during January-March 1986 and was associated with peak levels of pasture infectivity. Carrier animals were considered responsible for the survival of infection over summer. Although soil samples were taken regularly on a monthly basis to study the epidemiological importance of the soil as a source of infection, infective larvae were not recovered at any time. The epidemiological pattern observed in the present study provides basic information on the factors involved in infection and diseases outbreaks under sub-tropical conditions.