ASSESSMENT OF THE SEVERITY OF NATURAL INFECTIONS OF KIDS AND ADULT GOATS BY SMALL LUNGWORMS (PROTOSTRONGYLIDAE, NEMATODA) USING MACROSCOPICLESION SCORES

Assessment of the severity of natural infections of kids and adult goa ts by small lungworms using macroscopic lesion scores was carried out on 476 lungs originating from the Rabat area of Morocco. The prevalenc e of infection was 98% in kids and 100% in adult goats. The diaphragma tic lobes were the preferential site for protostrongylids. The average number of nodules (mostly Muellerius capillaris) and lobular lesions (mostly Protostrongylus rufescens and Cystocaulus ocreatus) was 174 an d 9 per pair of lungs respectively, indicating that the amount of lung tissue rendered inactive in heavy infections was considerable. Up to 19.9% kids or 34.2% adult goats had heavy infection based on nodular l esions (more than 200 nodules); 61% and 68% of kids and adult goats re spectively had heavy infection based on lobular lesions (more than fou r lobular lesions per pair of lungs). The proportion of the total lung surface occupied by protostrongylid lesions was 35.1% in kids and 23. 5% in adult goats, suggesting that small lungworm infections may signi ficantly contribute to the debilitation of infected caprines in the ar ea.