Parasites are organisms that live on or within a host, deriving nutrients at the host's expense. In horses, parasitic infections can affect various systems, including the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and respiratory system. Common equine parasites include strongyles, ascarids, tapeworms, and bots. These parasites can lead to a range of health issues, from mild discomfort to severe disease, depending on the type and burden of the infestation. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the biology, life cycle, and impact of parasites on equine health, as well as strategies for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of parasitic infections in horses.
Jota Baptista C, Sós E, Madeira de Carvalho L.Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) is a subspecies of Equus ferus classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), whose gastrointestinal (GI) parasitism has been studied in different populations, in situ and ex situ, during the last decades. We aimed to summarize the information available on the subject. Methods: In this review, we collected information from distinct published literature, interpreted it, compared it and related the Przewalski's horse biology and ecology with different findings. Results: Many similarities can be found between the...
Rhinosporidiosis is caused by Rhinosporidium seeberi, a parasitic organism of the family Rhinosporideacea family, class Micomycetozoa. The disease is endemic in India; however, some cases were reported in Europe, Africa, North America, and South America. The aim of the present study is to report three cases of rhinosporidiosis in wild horses in different cities of Buenos Aires province, Argentina. We confirm the presence of R. seeberi in the analyzed samples using histopathological and PCR sequencing techniques.
Nogueira BCF, Campos AK, Alves RS, de Cássia Vieira Faria R, Sarandy MM, Fonseca E Silva F, Gonçalves RV.Amblyomma sculptum is frequently observed parasitizing horses, responsible for economic losses, damage to the host''s skin and transmission of pathogens. The oxidative stress profile and inflammatory mechanisms involved in this parasitism remain poorly studied. Thus, this study aimed to assess the histopathological changes and oxidative profile responses of horses in the attachment site of A. sculptum to find variations that indicate resistance and susceptibility between the breeds to this tick, based on the hypothesis that resistant animals have a greater inflammatory response and lesser numb...
Dărăbuş G, Badea C, Oprescu I, Morariu S, Mederle N, Ilie M, Suici T, Imre M.Resistance of cyathostomins to benzimidazole (BZ) anthelmintics is widespread in horses in many parts of the world. This study compared three methods for the determination of benzimidazole resistance of Cyathostominae in 18 horses from a stud farm in Romania. The horses were treated with Fenbendazole. The resistance test was performed by FECRT, ERP and PCR. On Day 0, larvae of species belonging to the Cyathostominae subfamily, types A, B, C, D and Gyalocephalus, as well as Strongylus vulgaris species of the Strongylinae subfamily, were identified. At 42 days post treatment with fenbendazole on...
Abraham M, Bauquier J.The peripartum period is critical in equine medicine for maintaining healthy mares, and ensuring the delivery of healthy neonatal foals. The field of perinatal mortality in horses is continuously evolving, with several advances being recently made in causes of perinatal fetal and foal loss. This review details the main causes of perinatal loss in horses, through late pregnancy, parturition and the neonatal period. Recent advances in identification of infectious organisms and indicators of survival in neonatal foals will be discussed. Continued advances in reproductive and neonatal medicine wil...
Lee H, Hwang H, Ro Y, Kim JH, Lee K, Choi E, Bae Y, So B, Lee I.This study was performed to examine and clarify the cause of hindlimb ataxia and neuropathy seen in the South Korean horse population. Fifty horses diagnosed with hindlimb ataxia and neuropathy were referred for this study. Neurological examination was performed on 47 horses while necropsy was performed in all 50 animals. The occurrence of neurological diseases increased rapidly in the summer and 47 out of 50 horses were referred after the end of July. The incidence of neurological diseases started from the southern part of Korea in July and proceeded northward in August and September. Althoug...
Yu F, Liu B, Chen S, Yi Z, Liu X, Zhu Y, Li J.A 5-year-old Mongolian mare (Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758) was observed to have corneal opacity and excessive ocular discharge. An ophthalmic examination revealed a moving thread-like cylindrical worm in the anterior chamber of the right eye. The parasite was successfully removed surgically. The worm was observed under light microscopy and confirmed as Setaria digitata by 12S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated similarity with Setaria digitata in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) GenBank database isolated from other Asian countries...
Urban JF, Nielsen MK, Gazzola D, Xie Y, Beshah E, Hu Y, Li H, Rus F, Flanagan K, Draper A, Vakalapudi S, Li RW, Ostroff GR, Aroian RV. and are important parasites in the family Ascarididae, large, ubiquitous intestinal-dwelling nematodes infecting all classes of vertebrates. Parasitic nematode drug resistance in veterinary medicine and drug recalcitrance in human medicine are increasing worldwide, with few if any new therapeutic classes on the horizon. Some of these parasites are zoonotic, , is passed from humans to pigs and . The development of new therapies against this family of parasites would have major implications for both human and livestock health. Here we tested the therapeutic ability of a paraprobiotic or dead ...
Mathewos M, Fesseha H, Yirgalem M.Gastrointestinal helminth parasite infection is a major influencing factor against the profitability of working equines all over the world. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Hosaena district to investigate the prevalence and the potential risk factors of strongyle infection. To address this, 384 equines; donkeys (n = 208), and horses (n = 176) were randomly selected for the coprological examination to identify strongyle eggs using the floatation technique. Results: The study revealed that the overall prevalence of strongyle infection in the Hosaena district was 54.2% and...
Villa L, Gazzonis AL, Diezma-Diaz C, Perlotti C, Zanzani SA, Ferrucci F, Álvarez-García G, Manfredi MT.Besnoitiosis is an emerging parasitic disease of equids. Italy is one of the few European countries where the circulation of Besnoitia spp. antibodies was demonstrated. In this study, a case of clinical besnoitiosis in two donkeys in northern Italy is reported. The two animals were clinically examined. Serum and blood samples were analyzed for the detection of Besnoitia spp. antibodies and for hematology, biochemistry, and enzyme activity, respectively. ITS-1 PCR and sequencing were carried out on DNA extracted from skin biopsies. Clinical examination revealed numerous scleral pearls in eyes o...
Hifumi T, Tanaka T, Hernandez EP, Akioka K, Yamada K, Imamura Y, Hatai H, Miyoshi N.Histopathological and genetic examinations were conducted on grayish-white solid hepatic nodules in 150 horses imported from Canada, in order to investigate larval Echinococcus multilocularis infection. Ten of the 150 horses (6.7%) were diagnosed with alveolar hydatid disease. The sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b genes obtained from all 10 polymerase chain reaction positive samples had 99 to 100% identity with the European haplotype E1 of E. multilocularis. Therefore, we concluded that the infections likely originated in Canada. Relation entre les nodules hépatiques solides blanc-g...
Yılgör Çırak V, Girişgin AO.Significant numbers of parasites such as protozoa, helminths and arthropods infest equids. Various investigations have been conducted in Turkey to detect these parasites. In this review, all parasites reported in horses, donkeys and mules have been listed. A total of 62, 52 and 21 helminths were recorded in horses, donkeys and mules, respectively. As protozoan parasites, 13 species were detected both in horses and donkeys, and 3 in mules. With regard to arthropods, 40, 23 and 6 species were detected in horses, donkeys and mules, respectively. In the recent years, various molecular diagnostic m...
Slater R, Frau A, Hodgkinson J, Archer D, Probert C.Anoplocephala perfoliata is a common equine tapeworm associated with an increased risk of colic (abdominal pain) in horses. Identification of parasite and intestinal microbiota interactions have consequences for understanding the mechanisms behind parasite-associated colic and potential new methods for parasite control. A. perfoliata was diagnosed by counting of worms in the caecum post-mortem. Bacterial DNA was extracted from colonic contents and sequenced targeting of the 16S rRNA gene (V4 region). The volatile organic compound (VOC) metabolome of colonic contents was characterised using gas...
van Dijk J.Jan van Dijk, RCVS specialist in veterinary parasitology, describes how data can be used to both increase understanding of trends in equine helminth abundance and drive better treatment of individual horses.
Zanet S, Battisti E, Labate F, Oberto F, Ferroglio E.Nematodes are an important cause of disease and loss of performance in horses. Changes in the parasitic fauna of horses have occurred in the past few decades, making cyathostomins the major parasites in adult horses, while large strongyles have become less prevalent. spp. remains the most important parasite infecting foals and weanlings. Anthelmintic resistance is highly prevalent in cyathostomins and spp. worldwide and it must be factored into treatment decisions. To assess anthelmintic efficacy in Northern Italy, we sampled 215 horses from 17 sport and horse-breeding farms. Fecal egg count...
Dirks E, de Heus P, Joachim A, Cavalleri JV, Schwendenwein I, Melchert M, Fuehrer HP.A 23-year-old pregnant warmblood mare from Güssing, Eastern Austria, presented with apathy, anemia, fever, tachycardia and tachypnoea, and a severely elevated serum amyloid A concentration. The horse had a poor body condition and showed thoracic and pericardial effusions, and later dependent edema and icteric mucous membranes. Blood smear and molecular analyses revealed an infection with . Upon treatment with imidocarb diproprionate, the mare improved clinically, parasites were undetectable in blood smears, and 19 days after hospitalization the horse was discharged from hospital. However, 89 ...
Zhang K, Huang H, Zhou R, Zhang B, Wang C, Ente M, Li B, Zhang D, Li K.The departure of the mature larvae of the horse stomach bot fly from the host indicates the beginning of a new infection period. Gasterophilus pecorum is the dominant bot fly species in the desert steppe of the Kalamaili Nature Reserve (KNR) of northwest China as a result of its particular biological characteristics. The population dynamics of G. pecorum were studied to elucidate the population development of this species in the arid desert steppe. Methods: Larvae in the freshly excreted feces of tracked Przewalski's horses (Equus przewalskii) were collected and recorded. The larval pupation e...
Bastos RG, Sears KP, Dinkel KD, Kappmeyer L, Ueti MW, Knowles DP, Fry LM.The apicomplexan parasite is one of two known causative agents of equine theileriosis. It causes milder clinical disease than its more virulent counterpart, , in experimentally infected horses, and can superinfect -positive horses. The current equi merozoite antigen 1 (EMA1)-based competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)used in the U.S. to detect equine theileriosis detects but not , and the complexity of molecular assays precludes widespread use for epidemiologic studies. In order to facilitate urgently needed studies on the prevalence of , the goal of this study was to develop...
Suthar A, Maji C, Gopalkrishnan A, Raval SH, Kumar R, Kumar S.Theileria equi and Babesia caballi are the causative agents of equine piroplasmosis (EP). Currently, imidocarb dipropionate (ID) is the only available drug for treating the clinical form of EP. Serious side effects and incomplete clearance of infection is a major drawback of ID. Heat-shock proteins (Hsp) play a vital role in the life cycle of these haemoprotozoans by preventing alteration in protein conformation. These Hsp are activated during transmission of EP sporozoites from the tick vector (poikilotherm) to the natural host (homeotherm) and facilitate parasite survival. In the present stu...
Keating DL, Lehman JS, Burk SV.Identification of factors associated with parasite infestation in horses could reduce frequency of anthelmintic administration and slow development of anthelmintic resistance. The study aim was to evaluate management factors, equine characteristics, and equine salivary cortisol concentrations for association with strongyle-type egg shedding levels. As immunocompromised horses appear to be more susceptible to parasite infestation, it was hypothesized that salivary cortisol concentration could be associated with parasite egg shedding. Saliva and fecal samples were collected from 200 horses acros...
Buono F, Veronesi F, Pacifico L, Roncoroni C, Napoli E, Zanzani SA, Mariani U, Neola B, Sgroi G, Piantedosi D, Nielsen MK, Veneziano V.Donkeys have been used as working animals for transport and farm activities worldwide. Recently, in European countries, there has been an increasing interest in donkeys due to their use as pets, onotherapy or milk production. During 2014-2016, a countrywide survey was conducted to determine prevalence and risk factors of principal helminth infections in 1775 donkeys in 77 Italian farms. A questionnaire on management and parasite control practices was filled out for each farm. Faecal samples were examined using a modified McMaster technique, a centrifugation/flotation method and a sedimentation...
Kamran K, Ali A, Villagra C, Siddiqui S, Alouffi AS, Iqbal A.Zoonotic diseases are significant public health issues. There is an urgent need to focus our efforts on the development of strategies that prevent and control potential arthropod vector-borne pathogens. Hard ticks transmit a variety of viral, bacterial and protozoan pathogens to their vertebrate hosts. This is becoming of more concern, as anthropogenic alterations of the environment may unleash the spread of tick-borne diseases throughout the world. Developing countries that are highly dependent on the livestock economy are a hot spot for tick-borne infectious diseases. In this work, through a...
Leonel JAF, Tannihão B, Arantes JA, Vioti G, Benassi JC, Brandi RA, Ferreira HL, Keid LB, Soares RM, Oliveira TMFS.Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected tropical disease caused by the Leishmania infantum parasite. The protozoan is able to infect several domestic and wild mammals. Since the first report on Leishmania spp. infection in horses in South America, leishmaniasis in equids has been highlighted in Brazil. A molecular epidemiological survey was carried out to verify the occurrence of Leishmania spp. DNA in horses and donkeys, in leishmaniases endemic areas in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. To this end, blood samples were obtained from 107 horses and 36 donkeys and subjected to DNA extraction followed...
Martin F, Svansson V, Eydal M, Oddsdóttir C, Ernback M, Persson I, Tydén E.Horses in Iceland have been isolated for more than 1,000 yr but still harbor a similar range of gastrointestinal parasites as do horses across the world. The long isolation of the horses and their parasites presumably means that no resistance genes have been introduced into the Parascaris spp. population. It is therefore of particular interest to investigate the efficacy of ivermectin on Parascaris spp. infecting Icelandic foals. Potential treatment failure of ivermectin in Iceland will add substantial new information on how resistance can arise independently. This study aimed to determine the...
Romero-Salas D, Solis-Cortés M, Zazueta-Islas HM, Flores-Vásquez F, Cruz-Romero A, Aguilar-Domínguez M, Salguero-Romero JL, de León AP....Equine piroplasmosis is a tropical parasitic disease caused by several intraerythrocytic members of the genera Babesia and Theileria. These pathogens are transmitted by multiple tick species and are considered as important exotic microorganisms in several countries. Equine piroplasmosis causes significant economic losses due to abortions, decreased activity and even death of equines, making surveillance of these infectious disease essential. In the northern and eastern parts of Mexico, few molecular and serological reports have been made on the presence and exposure of horse to these agents. F...
Dauparaitė E, Kupčinskas T, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Petkevičius S.With intensive use of anthelmintic drugs in recent decades, anthelmintic resistance (AR) in horse nematodes is becoming a growing issue in many countries. However, there is little available information about the parasites, treatment practices or AR in the horse population in Lithuania. The aim of this study was to assess the current situation of AR on horse farms in Lithuania. The study was conducted in 25 stables on horses with a strongyle faecal egg count (FEC) of ≥ 200 eggs per gram. A faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was performed on each farm after administration of ivermectin ...
Fetene E, Leta S, Regassa F, Büscher P.Trypanosomosis caused by Trypanosoma vivax is one of the diseases threatening the health and productivity of livestock in Africa and Latin America. Trypanosoma vivax is mainly transmitted by tsetse flies; however, the parasite has also acquired the ability to be transmitted mechanically by hematophagous dipterans. Understanding its distribution, host range and prevalence is a key step in local and global efforts to control the disease. Methods: The study was conducted according to the methodological recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRIS...
Ramalho Sousa S, Anastácio S, Nóvoa M, Paz-Silva A, Madeira de Carvalho LM.In Portugal, equine parasitism in pasture animals is characterized by high parasitic burden and high helminthic biodiversity; both factors are potentially pathogenic for their hosts. The decrease in the number of donkeys over the last years in Portugal, their importance in rural lowland and mountain ecosystems and pastures and the scarce information regarding their parasitism led to this research, which aimed to evaluate the parasitological status of a Miranda donkey breed population, a native breed mainly located in the northeast of Portugal. This study provides better knowledge of their gast...
Varcasia A, Garippa G, Pipia AP, Scala A, Brianti E, Giannetto S, Battelli G, Poglayen G, Micagni G.Between March 2003 and February 2007, the livers and the lungs of 2,231 horses from various Italian regions were examined for cystic echinococcosis presence at the time of slaughter. Hydatid cysts were found in six horses, namely four from Sardinia, one from Sicily, and one from Tuscany. The location, number, morphology, and fertility of the cysts found were determined. DNA was extracted from the germinal layers and protoscoleces of the fertile cysts and polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were performed in order to strain type DNA isolates for reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogen...
Sumbria D, Das Singla L, Sharma A.A cross-sectional study was conducted in Submountain undulating, Undulating plain, Western and Western plain agro-climatic zones of Punjab province, India, to determine the prevalence, agreement between diagnostic tests and associated related risk factors of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infection in equids (horses, donkey, mules). An overall prevalence of 14.14 and 0.0% of T. equi and B. caballi was recorded by multiplex polymerase chain reaction targeting 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) for both the parasites and 75 and 1.11% by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in a representative...
The Journal of parasitologyJanuary 23, 2003
Volume 88, Issue 6 1130-1134 doi: 10.1645/0022-3395(2002)088[1130:GHOPIL]2.0.CO;2
Chapman MR, French DD, Klei TR.A survey in Louisiana of gastrointestinal helminths recovered at necropsy from 117 ponies with minimal exposure to anthelmintics between 1989 and 2000 is compared with a survey conducted 20 yr earlier in the same region. An objective of this study was to determine whether species diversity has been affected by the advent and use of the macrocyclic lactone (ML) parasiticides and by the increased anthelmintic pressure on the helminth species infecting the general equine population. Twenty-six cyathostome species and 8 strongyle species were recovered. Two cyathostome species that were not found ...
Payne RC, Sukanto IP, Djauhari D, Partoutomo S, Wilson AJ, Jones TW, Boid R, Luckins AG.Cattle, buffaloes and horses in several areas of Indonesia were examined for evidence of infection with Trypanosoma evansi by the microhaematocrit centrifugation technique (MHCT) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of antibodies to T. evansi. Evidence of infection was found in animals at each sampling site although differences were seen in prevalence rates between sites. Prevalence rates in buffalo were usually higher than in cattle in the same area while in horses they were much lower than in cattle or buffalo. An age-dependent prevalence rate was seen in buffalo an...
Bártová E, Sedlák K, Syrová M, Literák I.During January 2007, blood samples were collected from 552 healthy horses from nine different regions of the Czech Republic. Sera were tested for serum antibodies to Neospora caninum by a competitive-inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmed by an indirect fluorescent antibody test. The same samples were tested for serum antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii by a latex agglutination test. In total, 131 of 552 (24%) horses reacted positively for Neospora antibodies in competitive-inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; seven of them had > or =50% of inhibition. Samples wer...
Truppel JH, Otomura F, Teodoro U, Massafera R, da Costa-Ribeiro MC, Catarino CM, Dalagrana L, Costa Ferreira ME, Thomaz-Soccol V.In this study, we detected Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis infection in equids living in endemic regions of cutaneous leishmaniasis. To determine the role of these animals in the Leishmania cycle, we used two approaches: serological and molecular methods. Antibodies to the parasite were assayed using the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Blood samples were collected and tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the positive products were sequenced. The results showed that 11.0% (25/227) of the equids were seropositive for Leishmania sp, and 16.3% (37/227) were PCR positive. Ant...
Davoust B, Mediannikov O, Roqueplo C, Perret C, Demoncheaux JP, Sambou M, Guillot J, Blaga R.Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate, intracellular, parasitic protozoan within the phylum Apicomplexa that causes toxoplasmosis in mammalian hosts (including humans) and birds. We used modified direct agglutination test for the screening of the animals' sera collected in Senegal. In total, 419 animals' sera have been studied: 103 bovines, 43 sheep, 52 goats, 63 horses, 13 donkeys and 145 dogs. The collection of sera was performed in four different regions of Senegal: Dakar, Sine Saloum, Kedougou and Basse Casamance from 2011 to 2013. We have revealed antibodies in 13% of bovines, 16% of sheep, 15...
Ravel S, Mediannikov O, Bossard G, Desquesnes M, Cuny G, Davoust B.In Senegal, several areas provide great potential for agriculture and animal production, but African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) is one of the major constraints to the development of more effective livestock production systems. A study was conducted to assess the current situation of AAT in this country. Surveys were carried out between June 2011 and September 2012 in four different areas: Dakar, Sine Saloum, Kedougou region and Basse Casamance in several animal species: dogs (152), donkeys (23), horses (63), sheep (43), goats (52) and cattle (104), distributed in the four sites. Molecular too...
Silva MG, Bastos RG, Stone Doggett J, Riscoe MK, Pou S, Winter R, Dodean RA, Nilsen A, Suarez CE.The most common apicomplexan parasites causing bovine babesiosis are Babesia bovis and B. bigemina, while B. caballi and Theileria equi are responsible for equine piroplasmosis. Treatment and control of these diseases are usually achieved using potentially toxic chemotherapeutics, such as imidocarb diproprionate, but drug-resistant parasites are emerging, and alternative effective and safer drugs are needed. The endochin-like quinolones (ELQ)-300 and ELQ-316 have been proven to be safe and efficacious against related apicomplexans, such as Plasmodium spp., with ELQ-316 also being effective aga...
Rehbein S, Lindner T, Visser M, Winter R.Faecal samples of 250 horses from farms with a known history of tapeworm infection were examined comparatively for cestode eggs using a double centrifugation/combined sedimentation-floatation technique. From each faecal sample, three 5 g and three 15 g subsamples were processed, each using either saturated NaCl solution, specific gravity (sp. g.) 1.2 [NaCl]; concentrated sugar solution, sp. g. 1.26 [sugar]; or concentrated ZnSO4 solution, sp. g. 1.3 [ZnSO4] for floatation. In total, faeces from 187 horses ( = 74.8%) tested 'positive' for Anoplocephala eggs. Percentages of samples testing '...
Gao JF, Zhang XX, Wang XX, Li Q, Li Y, Xu WW, Gao Y, Wang CR.Parascarosis is caused mainly by parasitic infections with Parascaris equorum and Parascaris univalens, the most common ascarid nematodes, in the small intestine of equines. Parascarosis often causes severe illness and even death in foals and yearlings. In this study, we obtained the complete sequence of the P. equorum mitochondrial (mt) genome and compared its organization and structure with that of P. equorum Japan isolate (nearly complete), and the complete mtDNA sequences of P. univalens Switzerland and USA isolates. The complete mtDNA genome of P. equorum China isolate is 13,899 base pair...
Dangoudoubiyam S, Oliveira JB, Víquez C, Gómez-García A, González O, Romero JJ, Kwok OC, Dubey JP, Howe DK.Serum samples from 315 horses from Costa Rica, Central America, were examined for the presence of antibodies against Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora spp., and Toxoplasma gondii by using the surface antigen (SAG) SnSAG2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the NhSAG1 ELISA, and the modified agglutination test, respectively. Anti- S. neurona antibodies were found in 42.2% of the horses by using the SnSAG2 ELISA. Anti- Neospora spp. antibodies were found in only 3.5% of the horses by using the NhSAG1 ELISA, and only 1 of these horses was confirmed seropositive by Western blot. Antibodies to T...
Simonato G, Danesi P, Frangipane di Regalbono A, Dotto G, Tessarin C, Pietrobelli M, Pasotto D.Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are based on the establishment of a therapeutic relationship between animals and beneficiaries that is certain to provide positive effects, while currently, it reads as if AAIs aim at exposing stakeholders to potential risk of infection. The surveillance of zoonotic pathogens is necessary for guaranteeing common health. This study investigated the presence of potentially zoonotic parasites, including dermatophytes, in animals involved in AAIs. Between 2015 and 2017, 190 animals (equids, dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and goats) were investigated. Anam...
Coleman SU, Klei TR, French DD, Chapman MR, Corstvet RE.In 1985, 22 pony foals reared in a helminth-free environment were tested daily for oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp by use of fecal flotation. Oocysts were found in all foals. Oocysts were first observed in feces collected from foals 9 to 28 days after birth. The mean period of oocyst shedding was 10 days and ranged from 2 to 18 days in individual foals. Diarrhea was observed in 14 of 22 (64%) foals and began before the period of oocyst shedding. Fecal samples also were examined for other infective agents. Salmonella poona was isolated from 1 foal that did not have diarrhea, and coronavirus parti...
Larsen M.Resistance against anthelmintics is widespread, particularly in parasitic nematode populations of small ruminants. Several new techniques or supplements have been developed or are under investigation. Biological control (BC) is one of these new methods. The net-trapping predacious fungus Duddingtonia flagrans produces thick walled resting spores, chlamydospores, which are able to survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract of cattle, horses, sheep and pigs. Under Danish climatic conditions it has been shown that the number of parasite larvae on pasture and the worm burden of the grazing...
Villa L, Gazzonis AL, Álvarez-García G, Diezma-Díaz C, Zanzani SA, Manfredi MT.Among Apicomplexa protozoa infecting equids, Besnoitia spp., Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. represent important issues from a sanitary and zootechnical viewpoint. However, only scarce epidemiological data are available on the spread of the infections in horses and donkeys in Europe. Therefore, a serosurvey was planned to estimate the prevalence of these Sarcocystidae species in Italian equids. Serum samples from 268 horses and 18 donkeys raised in Italy were collected and serologically analyzed to detect anti-Besnoitia spp., anti-T. gondii and anti-Neospora spp. antibodies: an approach ba...
Kaminsky R.The purpose of this review is to illustrate where drug resistance in parasitic nematodes has become a major problem. The mechanisms underlying anthelmintic resistance, the possible reasons for the development of anthelmintic resistance, and recommendations to minimize the further development of anthelmintic resistance in humans will be addressed. Results: Resistance has developed to all drugs of the few anthelmintic classes currently available. Drug resistance has become a major threat to sheep production in Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and South Africa. In addition, the treatment of ...
Traversa D, Iorio R, Capelli G, Paoletti B, Bartolini R, Otranto D, Giangaspero A.Gastric habronemosis of horses caused by Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae (Nematoda, Spirurida) is characterized by catarrhal gastritis, diarrhoea, progressive weight loss and ulcers. Despite its importance in the equine industry and in clinical practice, knowledge of the epidemiology of this infection is still incomplete as diagnosis in live animals is challenging. A two-step semi-nested PCR assay using ribosomal DNA (rDNA) markers has recently been used for the molecular diagnosis in vivo of gastric habronemosis based on the detection of H. microstoma and/or H. muscae DNA in equine ...
Stojecki K, Sroka J, Cencek T, Dutkiewicz J.Faecal samples from 297 farm animals were collected from 18 households in distinct sites of the Łęczyńsko-Włodawskie Lake District of eastern Poland. They included samples from 86 cattle (Bos taurus), 84 pigs (Sus scrofa f. domestica), 81 sheep (Ovis aries), 10 horses (Equus caballus), and 36 dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). The samples were examined for the presence of Giardia intestinalis by the Direct Fluorescence Assay (DFA) and semi-nested PCR. All amplicons were sequenced on both strands. By DFA, cysts of Giardia spp. were detected in 66 of 297 faecal samples (22.2%). Positive specimen...
Proudman CJ, Trees AJ.Whole worm extract (WWE) and excretory/secretory (E/S) antigens of Anoplocephala perfoliata were characterised by SDS-PAGE and their use in the serodiagnosis of equine cestodosis was evaluated. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to compare WWE and E/S antigen as the capture layer in an antibody capture ELISA. E/S antigen gave the best differentiation between sera from tapeworm-positive and tapeworm-negative horses. The E/S-ELISA was optimised and validated against sera from horses of known tapeworm status. This assay gave a diagnostic sensitivity of 68% (n = 38) and a specif...
Mitchell CJ, O'Sullivan CM, Pinloche E, Wilkinson T, Morphew RM, McEwan NR.Next-generation sequencing of DNA from nematode eggs has been utilised to give the first account of the equine 'nemabiome'. In all equine faecal samples investigated, multiple species of Strongylidae were detected, ranging from 7.5 (SEM 0.79) with 99+% identity to sequences in the NCBI database to 13.3 (SEM 0.80) with 90+% identity. This range is typical of the number of species described previously in morphological studies using large quantities of digesta per animal. However, the current method is non-invasive; relies on DNA analysis, avoiding the need for specialist microscopy identificatio...
Palmer DG, Lyon J, Palmer MA, Forshaw D.To determine the specificity and sensitivity of a commercial copro-antigen ELISA for the detection of Fasciola hepatica infection in cattle and sheep and to assess the suitability of the test for use in horses. Methods: Testing was done on more than 100 negative faecal samples from each of sheep, cattle and horses and on at least 40 positive faecal samples from each species. Positive samples were selected based on a positive sedimentation test for liver fluke eggs. Faecal samples of animals from Western Australia, which is free of liver fluke infection, served as negative controls. Specificity...
Boucheikhchoukh M, Mechouk N, Benakhla A, Raoult D, Parola P.The sheep ked, Melophagus ovinus, and the forest fly, Hippobosca equina, are parasitic dipteran insects of veterinary importance. As hematophagous insects, they might be considered as potential vectors of diseases which may be transmissible to humans and animals. The purpose of this study was to present initial primary data about these two species in Algeria. To do so, we conducted a molecular survey to detect the presence of bacterial DNA in flies collected in Algeria. A total of 712 flies including, 683 Melophagus ovinus and 29 Hippobosca equina were collected from two regions in northeaster...
Ramadan RM, Taha NM, Auda HM, Elsamman EM, El-Bahy MM, Salem MA.Equine piroplasmosis is not fully understood regarding pathogenicity, prophylaxis, host immune response expression, and specific vectors. Accurately identifying the parasite vector is crucial for developing an effective control plan for a particular infection. This study focused on morphologically identifying two Hyalomma species (H. anatolicum and H. marginatum) and one Rhipicephalus annulatus (R. annulatus) at the species level. The identification process was followed by phylogenetic analysis using the neighbor-joining method based on the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COXI) gene as a specifi...
Inácio SV, Widmer G, de Brito RL, Zucatto AS, de Aquino MC, Oliveira BC, Nakamura AA, Neto LD, Carvalho JG, Gomes JF, Meireles MV, Bresciani KD.The present study focuses on Cryptosporidium infections of foals in Brazil. A total of 92 animals of different breeds from 11 farms in the vicinity of Araçatuba in the state of São Paulo, were examined. According to PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene, Cryptosporidium sp. DNA was detected in 21.7% (20/92) of foals. Good quality 18S rRNA, actin, HSP70 and gp60 genes nPCR amplicons were obtained from five fecal samples. PCR amplification and sequencing of a fragment of the GP60 sporozoite surface glycoprotein gene revealed C. parvum genotypes IIaA18G3R1, IIaA15G2R1. Interestingly, we also detected...
Denwood MJ, Reid SW, Love S, Nielsen MK, Matthews L, McKendrick IJ, Innocent GT.The Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) is the most widely used method of assessing the efficacy of anthelmintics, and is the only in vivo technique currently approved for use with horses. Equine Faecal Egg Count (FEC) data are frequently characterised by a low mean, high variability, small sample size and frequent zero count observations. Accurate analysis of the data therefore depends on the use of an appropriate statistical technique. Analyses of simulated FECRT data by methods based on calculation of the empirical mean and variance, non-parametric bootstrapping, and Markov chain Monte ...
Nielsen MK.Anoplocephalid tapeworms are commonly occurring in grazing horses around the world. Two currently available anthelmintics have documented high efficacy against Anoplocephala perfoliata; praziquantel in various dosages ranging from 1.0 to 2.5 mg/kg and pyrantel pamoate administered at 13.2 mg base/kg. Anthelmintic resistance has not been reported in A. perfoliata, but anecdotal reports made during 2022 have suggested a possible loss of efficacy for both actives. This paper reports fecal egg count data from a Thoroughbred operation in Central Kentucky in 2023. Fifty-six yearlings were first de...
Liu Q, Meli ML, Zhang Y, Meili T, Stirn M, Riond B, Weibel B, Hofmann-Lehmann R.A reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization assay was adapted and applied for equine blood samples collected at the animal hospital of the University of Zurich to determine the presence of piroplasms in horses in Switzerland. A total of 100 equine blood samples were included in the study. The V4 hypervariable region of the 18S rRNA gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and analyzed using the RLB assay. Samples from seven horses hybridized to a Theileria/Babesia genus-specific and a Theileria genus-specific probe. Of these, two hybridized also to the Theileria equi-specific probe. The oth...
Kumsa B, Tamrat H, Tadesse G, Aklilu N, Cassini R.A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the species composition and prevalence of ixodid ticks infesting horses in three agroecological zones in central Ethiopia. For this purpose, a total of 1,168 horses were examined for tick infestation. An overall prevalence of 39.04% of tick infestation on horses was recorded. A total of 917 adult ticks were collected from infested horses. Amblyomma, Boophilus, Rhipicephalus, and Hyalomma genera with the respective prevalence of 3.2%, 1.8%, 29.2%, and 4.7% were identified. In the study, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi was encountered with the hig...
