Topic:Parasites

Molecular detection and characterization of prevailing Theileria equi genotype in equine from northern India.
Research in veterinary science    April 25, 2024   Volume 173 105277 doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2024.105277
Maharana BR, Ganguly A, Potliya S, Kumar B, Singh H, Dash A, Khanna S.Equine piroplasmosis caused by Theileria equi is a febrile, tick-borne disease of equids. However, there is limited literature about the genotyping of T. equi in India. Blood samples were collected from 202 horses and subjected to microscopy and PCR to detect T. equi. Initially, a universal screening primer pair targeting 18S ribosomal RNA genes common for Babesia caballi and T. equi was employed to amplify the DNA of both parasites. Thereafter additional primers were employed for species-specific detection resulting in amplification of approximately 435 bp specific for T. equi. T.equi was de...
Welfare assessment of Thoroughbred horses naturally infected with gastrointestinal parasites in Southern Brazil: Quantifying the host-parasite relationship.
Journal of equine veterinary science    April 6, 2024   105062 doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105062
Pires LSA, Abrahu00e3o C, Dias de Castro LL, Hammerschmidt J, Antunes J, Molento CFM, Molento MB.Horse welfare assessment (HWA) does not account for individual or herd parasite infection. This study investigated the connection between HWA and individual parasite fecal egg count (FEC) in 90 Thoroughbred horses. All horses were naturally infected with gastrointestinal parasites and were evaluated for individual welfare indicators and FEC monthly, for 12 months. Horses were divided into three groups of 30 mares, 30 foals aged between 13 and 16 months (G2013), and 30 foals aged between two months and one year (G2014). A horse welfare protocol was developed and 1024 assessments were carried ou...
Diagnostic performance of a rapid immunochromatographic test for the simultaneous detection of antibodies to Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses and donkeys.
Parasites & vectors    March 28, 2024   Volume 17, Issue 1 160 doi: 10.1186/s13071-024-06253-1
Equine piroplasmosis is caused by two tick-borne protozoan parasites, Theileria equi and Babesia caballi,, which are clinically relevant in susceptible horses, donkeys, and mules. Moreover, equine piroplasmosis significantly constrains international trading and equestrian events. Rapidly diagnosing both parasites in carrier animals is essential for implementing effective control measures. Here, a rapid immunochromatographic test for the simultaneous detection of antibodies to T. equi and B. caballi was evaluated using samples from horses and donkeys collected in Greece, Israel, and Italy. The ...
Prevalence and factors associated with Leishmania spp. and Toxoplasma gondii infections in apparently healthy horses in Eastern Spain.
Research in veterinary science    March 21, 2024   Volume 171 105236 doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2024.105236
Pala S, Martu00ednez-Su00e1ez L, Llobat L, Maru00edn-Garcu00eda PJ.Leishmaniasis and toxoplasmosis are two of the most common parasitic zoonoses. Leishmaniasis is endemic to 98 countries around the world, whereas toxoplasmosis is widely distributed throughout the world, causing significant health expenditure. Horses can play a relevant role in the transmission of the disease, being a silent reservoir, as clinical signs are not common. Serum samples from 166 horses living in eastern Spain (Mediterranean basin) were analysed to determine the presence of antibodies against Leishmania spp. and T. gondii by ELISA (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay.) The risk facto...
Molecular species determination of cyathostomins from horses in Ireland.
Veterinary parasitology    March 15, 2024   Volume 328 110168 doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110168
Byrne O, Gangotia D, Crowley J, Zintl A, Kiser L, Boxall O, McSweeney D, O'Neill F, Dunne S, Lamb BR, Walshe N, Mulcahy G.Cyathostomins are globally important equine parasites, responsible for both chronic and acute pathogenic effects. The occurrence of mixed infections with numerous cyathostomin species hinders our understanding of parasite epidemiology, host-parasite dynamics, and species pathogenicity. There have been few studies of cyathostomin species occurring in horses in Ireland, where temperate climatic conditions with year-round rainfall provide suitable conditions for infection of grazing animals with bursate nematodes. Here, we amplified and sequenced the ITS-2 region of adult worms harvested at post-...
Gastrointestinal parasite community structure in horses after the introduction of selective anthelmintic treatment strategies.
Veterinary parasitology    December 25, 2023   Volume 326 110111 doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110111
Halvarsson P, Grandi G, Hu00e4gglund S, Hu00f6glund J.A relatively new method to study the species richness and diversity of nematode parasites in grazing animals is to perform deep sequencing on composite samples containing a mixture of parasites. In this work, we compared species composition of strongyles in two groups of horses as a function of egg count and age, based on a DNA barcoding approach. Faecal egg counts and larval cultures were obtained from nearly 300 horses, i.e., domestic horses (n = 167) and trotters (n = 130) sampled nationwide. The second internal transcribed spacer region (ITS2) of strongyle nematodes in the larval cultu...
Prevalence and seasonal dynamic of gastrointestinal parasites in equids in France during two years.
Preventive veterinary medicine    December 23, 2023   Volume 223 106100 doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2023.106100
Grazing equids are constantly exposed to three clinically important gastrointestinal parasites (small strongyles/cyathostomins, Anoplocephala spp. and Parascaris spp.). Knowledge of the local seasonal dynamic of these parasitic infections is important for constructing a sustainable parasite control program with a rational number of anthelmintic treatments. However, studies describing these patterns are sparse in France. In this context, a two-year study was carried out to assess i) the seasonal dynamic and variability of strongyle faecal egg counts (FEC) and infective larvae (L3) counts on pas...
Human neutrophil extracellular traps do not impair in vitro Toxoplasma gondii infection.
Frontiers in immunology    December 5, 2023   Volume 14 1282278 doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1282278
Macedo IS, Lara FA, Barbosa HS, Saraiva EM, Menna-Barreto RFS, Mariante RM., responsible for causing toxoplasmosis, is a prevalent food and waterborne pathogen worldwide. It commonly infects warm-blooded animals and affects more than a third of the global human population. Once ingested, the parasite enters the host's small intestine and rapidly disseminates throughout the body via the bloodstream, infiltrating various tissues. Leukocyte-driven responses are vital against , with neutrophils playing a dual role: swiftly recruited to infection sites, releasing inflammatory mediators, and serving as a replication hub and Trojan horses, aiding parasite spread. Neutrophil...
Demonstration of reduced efficacy against cyathostomins without change in species composition after pyrantel embonate treatment in Swedish equine establishments.
International journal for parasitology. Drugs and drug resistance    November 14, 2023   Volume 23 78-86 doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2023.11.003
Hedberg Alm Y, Halvarsson P, Martin F, Osterman-Lind E, Tu00f6rngren V, Tydu00e9n E.Consisting of approximately 50 different species, the cyathostomin parasites are ubiquitous in grazing horses. Co-infection with several species is common, and large burdens can cause the fatal disease of larval cyathostominosis. Due to intense anthelmintic drug use, cyathostomin resistance has developed to all available anthelmintic drug groups. Resistance to the anthelmintic drug pyrantel (PYR) has been documented in over 90% of studies published over the past two decades. In Sweden, a study performed in the early 2000s only confirmed resistance in 4.5% of farms. Further, prescription-only a...
Assessment of worm control practices recommended by equine veterinarians in Australia.
Frontiers in veterinary science    November 3, 2023   Volume 10 1305360 doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1305360
Abbas G, Stevenson MA, Bauquier J, Beasley A, Jacobson C, El-Hage C, Wilkes EJA, Carrigan P, Cudmore L, Hurley J, Beveridge I, Nielsen MK, Hughes KJ....This study aimed to assess Australian veterinarians' knowledge, perceptions and treatment strategies for worm control in horses with an online questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised 64 questions covering various aspects of: (i) veterinary practice; (ii) the veterinarian's knowledge of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) and the importance of parasites in different age groups of horses; (iii) the diagnosis and control of worms; (iv) anthelmintics and anthelmintic resistance (AR); (v) grazing management; and (vi) the means of communication and the discussion between veterinarians and their cli...
First report of four rare strongylid species infecting endangered Przewalski’s horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) in Xinjiang, China.
Parasites & vectors    October 25, 2023   Volume 16, Issue 1 385 doi: 10.1186/s13071-023-05993-w
Jia H, Gao S, Tang L, Fu Y, Xiong Y, Ente M, Mubalake S, Shao C, Li K, Hu D, Zhang D.The Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) is the only surviving wild horse species in the world. A significant population of Przewalski's horses resides in Xinjiang, China. Parasitosis poses a considerable threat to the conservation of this endangered species. Yet, there is limited information on the nematode parasites that infect these species. To deepen our understanding of parasitic fauna affecting wild horses, we identified the intestinal nematodes of Przewalski's horses in Xinjiang and added new barcode sequences to a public database. Methods: Between 2018 and 2021, nematodes were ...
Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection in a working horse population in Egypt.
Tropical animal health and production    October 18, 2023   Volume 55, Issue 6 361 doi: 10.1007/s11250-023-03773-3
Salem SE, Abd El-Ghany AM, Elsheikh HA, Abdel-Ghany EM, Ras R.Working horses support the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Egypt. No previous study has investigated the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in working horses in Egypt. Faecal samples were collected from 607 working horses recruited from thirty-seven villages/areas in two Egyptian governorates and examined for Cryptosporidium spp. infection using the modified Zielh-Neelsen staining technique. Data on signalment, history of recent diarrhoea, and strongyle burden were collected. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection was calculated using a bootstrap method and potential risk factors ...
Preliminary study on prevalence of hemoprotozoan parasites harbored by Stomoxys (Diptera: Muscidae) and tabanid flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) in horse farms in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Southern Thailand.
Veterinary world    October 18, 2023   Volume 16, Issue 10 2128-2134 doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.2128-2134
Phetkarl T, Fungwithaya P, Udompornprasith S, Amendt J, Sontigun N. and tabanid flies are of medical and veterinary importance because they play crucial roles in disease transmission as mechanical vectors of various hemopathogens. However, its role as a hemoprotozoan parasite vector in horse farms has not been studied. Therefore, we investigated the occurrence of hemoprotozoan parasites belonging to the genera , , and in and tabanid flies using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. Unassigned: All samples ( and tabanid flies) were collected using an Nzi trap for three consecutive days each month from November 2022 to March 2023. T...
Prevalence and diversity of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in Australian Thoroughbred horses using next-generation sequencing and bioinformatic tools.
Veterinary parasitology    October 14, 2023   Volume 323 110048 doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110048
Abbas G, Ghafar A, Bauquier J, Beasley A, Ling E, Gauci CG, El-Hage C, Wilkes EJA, McConnell E, Carrigan P, Cudmore L, Hurley J, Beveridge I....The study presents the results of a cross-sectional survey to describe the epidemiology of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in horses, the impact of diverse climatic conditions on parasite diversity and the levels of faecal egg shedding in different age groups of managed Thoroughbred horses. Individual faecal samples (n = 1377) collected from 62 Thoroughbred farms across four climatic zones in Australia were analysed using the modified McMaster technique for faecal egg counts (FECs) and strongylid nematodes were identified utilising PCR-directed next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the second...
The Use of Innovative Diagnostics to Inform Sustainable Control of Equine Helminth Infections.
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)    October 11, 2023   Volume 12, Issue 10 1233 doi: 10.3390/pathogens12101233
Matthews JB, Peczak N, Lightbody KL.Helminths are commonly found in grazing equids, with cyathostomin nematodes and the cestode being the most prevalent. Most horses harbour low burdens of these parasites and do not develop signs of infection; however, in a small number of animals, high burdens can accumulate and cause disease. Cyathostomins are associated with a syndrome known as larval cyathostominosis. This occurs when large numbers of larvae emerge from the large intestinal wall. This disease has a case fatality rate of up to 50%. infection has been associated with various types of colic, with burdens of >20 worms assoc...
Helminth infection in horses – a cross-sectional study from stables in Lower Silesia (Poland).
Polish journal of veterinary sciences    September 20, 2023   Volume 26, Issue 3 401-407 doi: 10.24425/pjvs.2023.145046
Hildebrand W, Zieliu0144ska P, Hildebrand J, Zaleu015bny G.Parasitosis in horses may be uncontrolled and expose breeders and owners to serious financial losses or, possibly, to the loss of animals. Therefore, the prevention and monitoring of the development of parasitic diseases should play an important role in the breeding process. The aim of this study was to confirm the influence of factors such as age, breed, herd size, deworming program, and type of anthelmintics, on the prevalence and intensity of parasites (helminths) in domestic horses in Lower Silesia. The study was carried out between August and November of 2020. The samples of horse feces w...
Severely Asthmatic Horses Residing in a Mediterranean Climate Shed a Significantly Lower Number of Parasite Eggs Compared to Healthy Farm Mates.
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI    September 15, 2023   Volume 13, Issue 18 2928 doi: 10.3390/ani13182928
Simu00f5es J, Sales Luu00eds JP, Madeira de Carvalho L, Tilley P.The relationship between helminth infection and allergic diseases has long intrigued the scientific community. This interaction was previously studied in a horse family with high incidence of severe equine asthma and in non-related severely asthmatic horses from equine hospital referrals in Switzerland. Our aim was to determine if this interaction would also be observed in a group of non-related client-owned severely asthmatic horses living in a Mediterranean climate and recruited through a first-opinion veterinarian group. Fecal samples from severe equine asthma-affected and healthy horses li...
CANTERing towards more sustainable helminth control.
The Veterinary record    September 8, 2023   Volume 193, Issue 5 doi: 10.1002/vetr.3435
Colgate V.Victoria Colgate of Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance introduces CANTER, a voluntary pan-industry initiative that is aiming to inspire behaviour change among horse owners and promote a more sustainable approach to controlling parasites in their animals.
Immunohistochemical Assessment of GDNF and Chromogranin A Expression in Erosive and Granulomatous Lesions in Glandular Region of Equine Stomach.
Archives of Razi Institute    August 31, 2023   Volume 78, Issue 4 1365-1377 doi: 10.32592/ARI.2023.78.4.1365
Asgari P, Amniattalab A.The equine stomach consists of two separate non-glandular and glandular sections. Despite the incidence of most lesions in the non-glandular region, both stomach parts are prone to lesions. In this study, 41 hybrid-native horses, including 24 stallions and 17 mares, were examined over five years. In total, 27 horses (65.85%) that were sampled had lesions, including erosion, granuloma, or both on the glandular region of the stomach. Occurrence of gastric erosive and granulomatous lesions had no significant relationship with the age and gender of horses or the sampling season (>0.05). Moreove...
Fasciola hepatica infection in horses in three governorates in northern Egypt: prevalence and risk factors.
Journal of equine veterinary science    August 29, 2023   104915 doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104915
Alshammari A, Gattan HS, Marzok M, Salem M, Al-Jabr OA, Selim A.Fasciola hepatica is a trematode parasite that affects wide range of mammalian hosts including horses. There are no epidemiological data on fasciolosis in Egyptian horses. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of F. hepatica in horses using ELISA as well as assess the associated risk factors for fasciolosis infection. A total of 400 sera samples of horses from three Egyptian governorates were examined. The overall seroprevalence rate in horses was 13% and the disease was more prevalent in Qalubia (14.17%) and Gharbia (16.67%) which are located at Nile Delta. The likelih...
Presence of Equine and Bovine Coronaviruses, Endoparasites, and Bacteria in Fecal Samples of Horses with Colic.
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)    August 15, 2023   Volume 12, Issue 8 1043 doi: 10.3390/pathogens12081043
Stummer M, Frisch V, Glitz F, Hinney B, Spergser J, Kru00fccken J, Diekmann I, Dimmel K, Riedel C, Cavalleri JV, Ru00fcmenapf T, Joachim A, Lyrakis M....Acute abdominal pain (colic) is one of the major equine health threats worldwide and often necessitates intensive veterinary medical care and surgical intervention. Equine coronavirus (ECoV) infections can cause colic in horses but are rarely considered as a differential diagnosis. To determine the frequency of otherwise undetected ECoV infections in horses with acute colic, fresh fecal samples of 105 horses with acute colic and 36 healthy control horses were screened for viruses belonging to the species by RT-PCR as well as for gastrointestinal helminths and bacteria commonly associated with...
Retained efficacy of ivermectin against cyathostomins in Swedish horse establishments practicing selective anthelmintic treatment.
Veterinary parasitology    August 14, 2023   Volume 322 110007 doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110007
Alm YH, Osterman-Lind E, Martin F, Lindfors R, Roepstorff N, Hedenstru00f6m U, Fredriksson I, Halvarsson P, Tydu00e9n E.Cyathostominae are ubiquitous to grazing horses and regarded the most prevalent internal parasite in the horse. Unfortunately, decades of indiscriminate use of anthelmintic drugs have resulted in the development of resistance in cyathostomins to all currently available drug groups, the most recent being a documented lack of efficacy to the macrocyclic lactones (ML). In vivo determination of anthelmintic resistance in horses most often utilises the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT). Further, a shortened egg reappearance period (ERP) can indicate a change in response to the applied treatme...
Natural products as anthelmintics: safeguarding animal health.
Natural product reports    August 9, 2023   doi: 10.1039/d3np00019b
Salim AA, Butler MS, Blaskovich MAT, Henderson IR, Capon RJ.Covering literature to December 2022This review provides a comprehensive account of all natural products (500 compounds, including 17 semi-synthetic derivatives) described in the primary literature up to December 2022, reported to be capable of inhibiting the egg hatching, motility, larval development and/or the survival of helminths (, nematodes, flukes and tapeworms). These parasitic worms infect and compromise the health and welfare, productivity and lives of commercial livestock (, sheep, cattle, horses, pigs, poultry and fish), companion animals (, dogs and cats) and other high value, end...
The first molecular isolation of Halicephalobus gingivalis from horses in Iran.
Veterinary research communications    August 5, 2023   doi: 10.1007/s11259-023-10188-w
Faghihzadeh Gorji F, Sadr S, Sharifiyazdi H, Borji H.Parasitic infections pose significant threats to humans' and animals' well-being worldwide. Among these parasites, Halicephalobus spp., a genus of nematodes, has gained attention due to its ability to cause severe infections in various animal species, including horses. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Halicephalobus spp., specifically focusing on Halicephalobus gingivalis in horses. Methods: In July 2022, a cross-sectional study was conducted in northern Iran to determine the prevalence of Halicephalobus spp. Using standard coprological techniques, 141 fecal samples f...
Validation of a serum ELISA test for cyathostomin infection in equines.
International journal for parasitology    August 1, 2023   doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2023.07.001
Lightbody KL, Austin A, Lambert PA, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Jürgenschellert L, Krücken J, Nielsen MK, Sallé G, Reigner F, Donnelly CG....Cyathostomins are ubiquitous equine nematodes. Infection can result in larval cyathostominosis due to mass larval emergence. Although faecal egg count (FEC) tests provide estimates of egg shedding, these correlate poorly with burden and provide no information on mucosal/luminal larvae. Previous studies describe a serum IgG(T)-based ELISA (CT3) that exhibits utility for detection of mucosal/luminal cyathostomins. Here, this ELISA is optimised/validated for commercial application using sera from horses for which burden data were available. Optimisation included addition of total IgG-based calibr...
Molecular prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. and Toxoplasma gondii in slaughtered equids in Northern Tunisia.
Journal of equine veterinary science    July 26, 2023   104894 doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104894
Amairia S, Jbeli M, Mrabet S, Jebabli LM, Gharbi M.Sarcocystis spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are two apicomplexan protozoa that infect a broad range of vertebrates, however, little is known about the infection of equids with these parasites. A total of 184 slaughtered equids from slaughterhouses of Bizerte and Tunis located in Northern Tunisia, were examined for meat infections with Sarcocystis spp. and T. gondii by PCR. The prevalence of infections with Sarcocystis spp. and T. gondii were 38% (95% CI: 31-45) and 39.7% (95% CI: 32.6-46.7), respectively. The highest prevalence of infection with Sarcocystis spp. was observed in donkeys (48.6%; 95%C...
Unilateral keratitis secondary to Leishmania spp. infection in a horse: Clinical signs and successful topical therapy.
Veterinary ophthalmology    July 25, 2023   doi: 10.1111/vop.13134
Matas Riera M, Cardenas Nadal M, Martínez-Sogues L, Ferrer L.Dermatological clinical signs have been seldom reported in the literature secondary to equine leishmaniasis. This case depicts the clinical signs, treatment, and outcome of a young horse with a pink, elevated lesion on the ventromedial quadrant of the cornea. A corneal cytology was performed and revealed the presence of leishmania amastigotes reaching the diagnosis of keratitis secondary to leishmania. Surgical resection was recommended but the owner declined the procedure, and the lesion was treated with a topical antimonial for 6 weeks. The lesion reduced remarkably during the first weeks ...
Evidence of resistance to ivermectin in the gastrointestinal nematodes of horses from Mexican southeast.
Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports    July 19, 2023   Volume 44 100907 doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100907
Flota-Burgos GJ, Rosado-Aguilar JA, Rojas-Becerril R, Rodru00edguez-Vivas RI, Trinidad-Martu00ednez I.Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major impediment to breeding and exploitation of horses. Traditional control of GIN has generated resistance to main anthelmintics, including ivermectin. An analysis of five ranches with a history of IVM use was done to determine the efficacy and resistance of GIN to IVM treatment in horses from the Mexican southeast. Predesigned questionnaires were applied to collect information on previous treatment protocols. The fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was applied to determine resistance. Before IVM application, a McMaster test was used to diagnose GIN ...
Is leishmaniasis the new emerging zoonosis in the world?
Veterinary research communications    July 12, 2023   doi: 10.1007/s11259-023-10171-5
Montaner-Angoiti E, Llobat L.Leishmania is a genus of parasitic protozoa that causes a disease called leishmaniasis. Leishmaniasis is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female sandflies. There are several different species of Leishmania that can cause various forms of the disease, and the symptoms can range from mild to severe, depending on species of Leishmania involved and the immune response of the host. Leishmania parasites have a variety of reservoirs, including humans, domestic animals, horses, rodents, wild animals, birds, and reptiles. Leishmaniasis is endemic of 90 countries, mainly in South Amer...
Incidence, risk factors, and therapeutic management of equine colic in Lamongan, Indonesia.
Veterinary world    July 9, 2023   Volume 16, Issue 7 1408-1414 doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.1408-1414
Fikri F, Hendrawan D, Wicaksono AP, Purnomo A, Khairani S, Chhetri S, Maslamama ST, Purnama MTE.Colic is among the common health issues in equine health management. Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are the most frequent causes of colic, but dysfunction of other organs and systems inside the abdominal cavity may also contribute. Therefore, it is crucial to identify risk factors for colic of specific etiologies. This study aimed to examine the incidence, risk factors, and best therapeutic management practices for horses with colic. Unassigned: A cohort of 256 horses living in Lamongan, East Java, Indonesia, was randomly recruited based on reports of colic symptoms by owners. Diagnosis and t...
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