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.
Bell J, Raidal SL, Hughes KJ.Changes to the faecal microbiota of horses associated with administration of anthelmintic drugs is poorly defined. This study included horses with cyathostomin infection where susceptibility and resistance to oxfendazole and abamectin was known. This study assessed the changes to the faecal microbiota associated with administration of two different anthelmintics in this population. Twenty-four adult horses were included. Faecal egg counts were performed on all horses prior to random allocation into abamectin (n=8), oxfendazole (n=8) or Control groups (n=8) and at Day 14 post treatment. Faecal ...
Elghryani N, Lawlor A, McOwan T, de Waal T.Over the preceding decades, the widespread dependence on anthelmintic drugs for managing nematodes in grazing equids has given rise to resistance against commonly used anthelmintics in various countries. This study explores the prevalence of anthelmintic resistance across 44 horse farms in Ireland. Anthelmintic efficacy was evaluated through fecal egg count reduction (FECR) tests employing the mini-FLOTAC technique. Resistance to benzimidazoles was identified in 12 out of 14 farms (FECR range: 0.00% to 86.2%). Ivermectin resistance was observed on two farms, one with an FECR of 80.70% and anot...
Ribeiro M, Gomes-Gonçalves S, Moreira G, Cardoso L, Mesquita JR.The life-cycle of the parasitic forms of Halicephalobus gingivalis is yet to be fully understood. In cases where there is evidence to support the presence of eggs from this parasite or its DNA in the faeces of equines, a thorough investigation of the clinical status and gastro-intestinal tract of the affected animals is warranted, as well as detailed descriptions of the employed coprological technique. Since reports of the identification of H. gingivalis eggs in faeces are sparse, objective measurements and high-quality images must be provided, in order to ensure optimal criteria for classific...
Pandit PS, Smith WA, Finno CJ, Aleman M, Conrad PA, Packham A, Plancarte M, Woolard K, Marsh A, Pusterla N.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a challenging disease to diagnose in horses with neurological signs. To optimize contemporary diagnostic testing, including the use of serum:CSF antibody ratios, the SarcoFluor antibody test for Sarcocystis neurona requires revalidation. The SarcoFluor, a previously validated immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for the detection of antibodies specific to S. neurona in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of naturally infected horses was analyzed using recent data and considering a serum:CSF antibody ratio threshold. Utilization of serum and CSF pho...
Zhang Y, Liu J, Zhang K, Wang A, Sailikebieke D, Zhang Z, Ao T, Yan L, Zhang D, Li K, Huang H.Reintroduction represents an effective strategy for the conservation of endangered wildlife, yet it might inadvertently impact the native ecosystems. This investigation assesses the impact of reintroducing endangered Przewalski's horses into the desert grassland ecosystem of the Kalamaili Nature Reserve (KNR), particularly its effect on the spatial distribution of ticks. In a 25 km core area of Przewalski's horse distribution, we set up 441 tick sampling sites across diverse habitats, including water sources, donkey trails, and grasslands, recording horse feces and characteristics to analyze t...
Smarsh DN, Kenny LB, Spindler M, Poh KC, Machtinger ET.There is limited data on current knowledge of Pennsylvania horse caretakers on tick-borne diseases (TBDs), tick identification, and tick management practices. This study aimed to determine tick knowledge, concern, and management among Pennsylvania equine caretakers using an online survey. Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA tests were used to analyze data. The survey received 894 responses (539 completed) from Pennsylvania equine owners and caretakers. The largest proportion of respondents cared for 3-5 horses (31%), followed by 2 horses (27%). Veterinarian-confirmed diagnosis rates of tw...
Green de Freitas M, Gonçalves Lino Borges D, Henrique Conde M, Takemi Muchon Nakatani M, Francieli Tutija J, Fuzaro Scaléa GO, Reckziegel GH....The aim of the present study was to validate methods of stool sample conservation for the egg hatch test (EHT). This study involved the use of a bovine naturally infected predominantly by Cooperia spp. and one equine naturally infected predominantly by cyathostomins characterized as susceptible to benzimidazoles in the EHT. Fecal samples were submitted to three treatments: aerobic methods (anaerobic storage in plastic bottles, anaerobic storage in vacuum-sealed bags or aerobic storage in plastic bags), under two temperature conditions (room temperature and refrigeration) analyzed at four diffe...
Barradas PF, Marques J, Tavares C, Brito NV, Mesquita JR.The Garrano is a semi-feral horse breed native to several mountains in the northern Iberian Peninsula. Despite being endangered, this unique breed of pony has managed to survive in the wild and continues to be selectively bred, highlighting their remarkable resilience and adaptability to harsh environments. Wildlife plays a critical role in the survival of tick vectors in their natural habitats and the transfer of tick-borne pathogens, as they can serve as reservoir hosts for many agents and amplifiers for these vectors. The semi-feral lifestyle of the Garrano horses makes them particularly vu...
Fikri F, Hendrawan D, Wicaksono AP, Purnomo A, Khairani S, Chhetri S, Purnama MTE, Çalışkan H.Colic is the primary problem affecting equestrian care worldwide. The primary cause of colic is digestive diseases; however, they can also affect organs from different systems in the abdominal region. In addition to a prior history of the disease and its treatment, risk factors may be assessed to determine the etiology of the disease in horses without or with a history of colic. This study aimed to present a summary of the incidence, risk factors, and medical procedures for colic in horses. Unassigned: Based on owner reports, 223 horses in Tuban, Indonesia, suspected of having colic were inves...
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...
Pires LSA, Abrahão 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...
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 ...
Pala S, Martínez-Sáez L, Llobat L, Marín-García 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...
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-...
Halvarsson P, Grandi G, Hägglund S, Höglund 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...
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...
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...
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 (i.e., nematodes, flukes and tapeworms). These parasitic worms infect and compromise the health and welfare, productivity and lives of commercial livestock (i.e., sheep, cattle, horses, pigs, poultry and fish), companion animals (i.e., dogs and cats) and other hig...
Hedberg Alm Y, Halvarsson P, Martin F, Osterman-Lind E, Törngren V, Tydén 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...
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...
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 ...
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 ...
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...
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...
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...
Hildebrand W, Zielińska P, Hildebrand J, Zaleśny 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...
Simões J, Sales Luís 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...
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.
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...
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...
Nielsen MK, Vidyashankar AN, Andersen UV, Delisi K, Pilegaard K, Kaplan RM.Fecal analyses are becoming increasingly important for equine establishments as a means of parasite surveillance and detection of anthelmintic resistance. Although several studies have evaluated various egg counting techniques, little is known about the quantitative effects of pre-analytic factors such as collection and storage of fecal samples. This study evaluated the effects of storage temperature, storage time and airtight versus open-air storage on fecal egg counts. The experimental protocols were replicated in two study locations: Copenhagen, Denmark and Athens, Georgia, USA. In both loc...
Nielsen MK, Vidyashankar AN, Olsen SN, Monrad J, Thamsborg SM.Nematodes belonging to the order Strongylida are ubiquitous in grazing horses, and the large strongyle Strongylus vulgaris is considered the most pathogenic. This parasite was originally described widely prevalent in equine establishments, but decades of frequent anthelmintic treatment appears to have reduced the prevalence dramatically. Increasing levels of anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomin parasites have led to implementation of selective therapy to reduce further development of resistance. It has been hypothesized that S. vulgaris could reoccur under these less intensive treatment cir...
Qablan MA, Oborník M, Petrželková KJ, Sloboda M, Shudiefat MF, Hořín P, Lukeš J, Modrý D.Microscopic diagnosis of equine piroplasmoses, caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, is hindered by low parasitaemia during the latent phase of the infections. However, this constraint can be overcome by the application of PCR followed by sequencing. Out of 288 animals examined, the piroplasmid DNA was detected in 78 (27·1%). Multiplex PCR indicated that T. equi (18·8%) was more prevalent than B. caballi (7·3%), while mixed infections were conspicuously absent. Sequences of 69 PCR amplicons obtained by the 'catch-all' PCR were in concordance with those amplified by the multiplex str...
Ali A, Zahid H, Zeb I, Tufail M, Khan S, Haroon M, Tufail M, Bilal M, Hussain M, Alouffi AS, Muñoz-Leal S, Labruna MB.Studies on ticks infesting equids are lacking in various parts of the world, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. The aim of this study was to investigate the diversity of ticks infesting equids, associated risk factors and rickettsial detection in ticks from equids in KP. Methods: Inspection of 404 equid hosts from November 2018 to October 2019 resulted in the collection of 550 ticks. Data on tick-associated risk factors were collected from equid owners by means of a questionnaire. After morphological identification, partial DNA sequences of the tick mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene were u...
Nielsen MK, Reinemeyer CR, Donecker JM, Leathwick DM, Marchiondo AA, Kaplan RM.Anthelmintic resistance is becoming increasingly prevalent among equine nematode parasites. The first reports documenting resistance were published in the 1960s, just a short time after introduction of the first modern anthelmintics phenothiazine and thiabendazole. Several factors are known to influence development of resistance, but evidence specific to equine parasites is limited. Most current knowledge and applications have been extrapolated from research with trichostrongylid parasites of sheep. The number of cyathostomin species co-infecting horses adds to the complexity of investigating ...
Wagnerová P, Sak B, Květoňová D, Buňatová Z, Civišová H, Maršálek M, Kváč M.Faecal samples were collected from 377 horses on 23 farms with varying management systems in the Czech Republic. Microsporidia were found on 16 farms and the overall prevalence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon cuniculi was 17.3% (66/377) and 6.9% (26/377), respectively. The prevalence of E. cuniculi in horses over 3 years of age was significantly higher (10.0%) compared to younger horses (4.0%). No significant differences in prevalence were observed among stallions, geldings, and mares for both microsporidia. Significantly higher infection rates of E. bieneusi and E. cuniculi wer...
Bashiruddin JB, Cammà C, Rebêlo E.Babesia equi and Babesia caballi are tick-borne haemoparasites that may cause babesiosis of Equidae. In southern Europe B. equi is enzootic and infections may occur asymptomatically and more frequently than those due to B. caballi. Complement fixation test (CFT) is the official serological test for the diagnosis of equine babesiosis, but it has low sensitivity during early and latent stages of the disease. With the aim of developing more sensitive and rapid direct diagnostic alternatives, PCR systems that amplified DNA targets of 664 or 659 bp regions of the 16S rRNA genes were designed and de...
Cacciò S, Cammà C, Onuma M, Severini C.A fragment of the beta-tubulin gene was polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified from genomic DNAs of Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Babesia divergens, Babesia major, Babesia caballi, Babesia equi, Babesia microti, Theileria annulata and Theileria sergenti. Single amplification products were obtained for each of these species, but the size of the amplicons varied from 310 to 460 bp. Sequence analysis revealed that this variation is due to the presence of a single intron, which ranged from 20 to 170 bp. The extensive genetic variability at the beta-tubulin locus has been exploited to develop...
Relf VE, Lester HE, Morgan ER, Hodgkinson JE, Matthews JB.Anthelmintic drugs have been applied indiscriminately to control horse nematodes for over 40 years. We undertook a comprehensive study to investigate efficacy of the four available broad-spectrum anthelmintic drugs on 16 Thoroughbred stud farms using the faecal egg count reduction test. Efficacy against strongyles was determined by calculating the percentage of reduction in faecal egg count between the group mean at Day 0 and Days 14-17 post-treatment and the 95% lower confidence intervals estimated by non-parametric bootstrapping. Individual strongyle faecal egg count reduction tests (n=429) ...
Walshe N, Duggan V, Cabrera-Rubio R, Crispie F, Cotter P, Feehan O, Mulcahy G.The interactions between parasitic helminths and gut microbiota are considered to be an important, although as yet incompletely understood, factor in the regulation of immunity, inflammation and a range of diseases. Infection with intestinal helminths is ubiquitous in grazing horses, with cyathostomins (about 50 species of which are recorded) predominating. Consequences of infection include both chronic effects, and an acute inflammatory syndrome, acute larval cyathostominosis, which sometimes follows removal of adult helminths by administration of anthelmintic drugs. The presence of cyathosto...
Sazmand A, Bahari A, Papi S, Otranto D.Parasitic infections can cause many respiratory, digestive and other diseases and contribute to some performance conditions in equids. However, knowledge on the biodiversity of parasites of equids in Iran is still limited. The present review covers all the information about parasitic diseases of horses, donkeys, mules and wild asses in Iran published as articles in Iranian and international journals, dissertations and congress papers from 1931 to July 2020. Parasites so far described in Iranian equids include species of 9 genera of the Protozoa (Trypanosoma, Giardia, Eimeria, Klossiella, Crypt...
Gawor JJ.The digestive tracts of 50 working horses from private farms in Poland were examined. Thirty-seven nematode species, two tapeworm species and one species of botfly were recovered. The most prevalent small strongyle species were Cyathostomum catinatum, Cylicocyclus nassatus, Cylicostephanus goldi, Cylicostephanus longibursatus, Cyathostomum coronatum, Cylicostephanus calicatus, Cylicocyclus leptostomus and Cylicostephanus minutus. Thirteen cyathostome species showed a site preference in the ventral colon, five in the dorsal colon and three in the caecum. One species, Cylicocyclus triramosus, wa...
Bastos RG, Suarez CE, Laughery JM, Johnson WC, Ueti MW, Knowles DP.Members of the CCp protein family have been previously described to be expressed on gametocytes of apicomplexan Plasmodium parasites. Knocking out Plasmodium CCp genes blocks the development of the parasite in the mosquito vector, making the CCp proteins potential targets for the development of a transmission-blocking vaccine. Apicomplexans Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina are the causative agents of bovine babesiosis, and apicomplexan Theileria equi causes equine piroplasmosis. Bovine babesiosis and equine piroplasmosis are the most economically important parasite diseases that affect world...
Soltane R, Guyot K, Dei-Cas E, Ayadi A.1,001 faecal samples were obtained from 89 sheep (lambs and adult), 184 goats, 190 horses, 178 rabbits, 110 camels, 200 broiler chicken and 50 turkeys housed in farms from different localities in Tunisia. All samples were analysed for Cryptosporidium oocysts by microscopic examination of smears stained by modified Ziehl Neelsen technique. The parasite was detected in ten lambs and adult sheep (11.2 %) and nine broiler chicken (4.5 %). Molecular characterization, performed in four animals, identified C. bovis in three lambs and C. meleagridis in one broiler chicken. This work is the first repor...
Tamarit A, Gutierrez C, Arroyo R, Jimenez V, Zagalá G, Bosch I, Sirvent J, Alberola J, Alonso I, Caballero C.An outbreak of Trypanosoma evansi infection that occurred in mainland Spain is described. The outbreak occurred on an equine and camel farm to which dromedary camels from an infected area of the Canary Islands had recently been introduced. One of these camels developed clinical signs and T. evansi was discovered in a blood smear examination. The herd was evaluated in order to determine the extent of the disease. The results showed that 76% of the camels, 35% of the donkeys and 2% of the horses were affected. The animals were isolated and treated using Cymelarsan((R)) (0.5mg/kg). After treatmen...
Kapel CM, Webster P, Gamble HR.Only a few studies have compared the muscle distribution of the different Trichinella genotypes. In this study, data were obtained from a series of experimental infections in pigs, wild boars, foxes and horses, with the aim of evaluating the predilection sites of nine well-defined genotypes of Trichinella. Necropsy was performed at 5, 10, 20 and 40 weeks post inoculation. From all host species, corresponding muscles/muscle groups were examined by artificial digestion. In foxes where all Trichinella species established in high numbers, the encapsulating species were found primarily in the tongu...
Bellaw JL, Nielsen MK.Cyathostomins infect virtually all horses, and concomitant infections with 10 or more species per horse is standard. Species-specific knowledge is limited, despite potential species bias in development of disease and anthelmintic resistance. This is the first meta-analysis to examine effects of geographical region and cyathostomin collection method on reported composition of cyathostomin communities. Methods: Thirty-seven articles published in English in 1975 or later, in which adults of individual species were systematically enumerated, were included. Seven regions; North America, South Ameri...
Teglas M, Matern E, Lein S, Foley P, Mahan SM, Foley J.Blood samples and ticks were collected from 48 cattle and 74 horses from seven sites in the Peten region of Guatemala. Data on body condition, mucous membrane capillary refill time and tick infestation levels were recorded for each animal in the study. Horses had significantly higher levels of tick infestation than cattle, as well as poorer body condition scores. Seroprevalence of Babesia spp. was 95.8% for B. bovis in cattle, 89.6% for B. bigemina in cattle, and 92.7% for B. equi in horses. Seroprevalence of Anaplasma marginale in cattle was 87.5%, similar to reports in animals from other reg...
Saeed MA, Beveridge I, Abbas G, Beasley A, Bauquier J, Wilkes E, Jacobson C, Hughes KJ, El-Hage C, O'Handley R, Hurley J, Cudmore L, Carrigan P....Equine gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) have been the subject of intermittent studies in Australia over the past few decades. However, comprehensive information on the epidemiology of equine GINs, the efficacy of available anthelmintic drugs and the prevalence of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in Australasia is lacking. Herein, we have systematically reviewed existing knowledge on the horse GINs recorded in Australia, and main aspects of their pathogeneses, epidemiology, diagnoses, treatment and control. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched for publications on GINs of Australian hors...
Kuzmina TA, Dzeverin I, Kharchenko VA.An extensive analysis of the relationships between strongylid egg shedding in domestic horses and the strongylid community structure in regard to the age of the horses, their breeds and different strategies of horse management, particularly with anthelmintic treatment programs was performed. Domestic horses (n=197) of different ages (5 months to 22 years) and of various breeds from 15 farms with different types of deworming programs were included in this study. Strongylids (totally, 82,767 specimens) were collected in vivo after deworming of the horses with the macrocyclic lactone anthelmintic...
Sales KG, Costa PL, de Morais RC, Otranto D, Brandão-Filho SP, Cavalcanti Mde P, Dantas-Torres F.Phlebotomine sand flies are blood-feeding insects of great medical and veterinary significance acting as vectors of Leishmania parasites. Studying the blood-feeding pattern of these insects may help in the understanding of their interactions with potential reservoir hosts of Leishmania parasites. In this study, we developed real time PCR assays for the identification of sand fly blood meal. Methods: Six pairs of primers were designed based on cytochrome b gene sequences available in GenBank of the following potential hosts: dog, cat, horse, chicken, black rat, and human. Firstly, SYBR Green-ba...
Greay TL, Oskam CL, Gofton AW, Rees RL, Ryan UM, Irwin PJ.Ticks are among the most important vectors of pathogens affecting companion animals, and also cause health problems such as tick paralysis, anaemia, dermatitis, and secondary infections. Twenty ixodid species have previously been recorded on dogs, cats, and horses in Australia, including Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Ixodes holocyclus and Haemaphysalis longicornis, which transmit tick-borne diseases. A survey of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) was conducted during 2012-2015 to investigate tick species that infest dogs, cats, and horses in Australia. Individual tick specimens were collected from dogs,...
Horváth G, Blahó M, Kriska G, Hegedüs R, Gerics B, Farkas R, Akesson S.White horses frequently suffer from malign skin cancer and visual deficiencies owing to their high sensitivity to the ultraviolet solar radiation. Furthermore, in the wild, white horses suffer a larger predation risk than dark individuals because they can more easily be detected. In spite of their greater vulnerability, white horses have been highly appreciated for centuries owing to their natural rarity. Here, we show that blood-sucking tabanid flies, known to transmit disease agents to mammals, are less attracted to white than dark horses. We also demonstrate that tabanids use reflected pola...
Deng L, Li W, Zhong Z, Gong C, Liu X, Huang X, Xiao L, Zhao R, Wang W, Feng F, Zhang Y, Hu Y, Fu H, He M, Zhang Y, Wu K, Peng G.Enterocytozoon bieneusi is one of the most prevalent causative species of diarrhea and enteric diseases in various hosts. E. bieneusi has been identified in humans, mammals, birds, rodents and reptiles in China, but few studies have reported E. bieneusi in horses. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the prevalence, molecular characteristics and zoonotic potential of E. bieneusi among horses in southwestern China. Three hundred and thirty-three fecal specimens were collected from horses on five farms in the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces of southwestern China. The prevalence of E...
Vercruysse J, Holdsworth P, Letonja T, Conder G, Hamamoto K, Okano K, Rehbein S.The "International Co-operation on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products (VICH)" is an international programme of co-operation between regulatory authorities and the animal health industries of the European Union, Japan and the United States of America which aims to harmonise the technical requirements for the registration of veterinary medicinal products. Australia and New Zealand participate as active observers. The objective of this second paper is to present additional guidelines established by the Working Group on anthelmintic guidelines...
Gizaw Y, Megersa M, Fayera T.Dourine is a venereal transmitted trypanosomosis causing a major health problem threatening equines worldwide. The origin and identification of Trypanosoma equiperdum within the subgenus Trypanozoon is still a subject of debate. Unlike other trypanosomal infections, dourine is transmitted almost exclusively by coitus. Diagnosis of dourine has continued to be a challenge, due to limited knowledge about the parasite and host-parasite interaction following infection. The pathological lesions caused by the diseases are poorly described and are observed mainly in the reproductive organs, in the ner...
Rampersad J, Cesar E, Campbell MD, Samlal M, Ammons D.We report on a study that evaluated the usefulness of PCR for the routine detection of Babesia equi in horses. The blood from a total of 105 horses comprising both sick and apparently healthy animals were examined for the presence of B. equi using both Wright-Giemsa-stained blood smears and PCR. Microscopic analysis of Giemsa-stained blood smears revealed 10/105 animals positive for Babesia, compared to 16/105 for the primary PCR and 36/105 for the nested PCR. Three of the 10 samples positive by Wright-Giemsa-stain were negative by PCR for B. equi. However, evidence is presented that these sam...
