Abstract: Communities of intestinal helminths in horses are commonly studied post mortem. The study objectives were here to examine the species composition of the strongylid community in brood horses in Ukraine after deworming with an aversectin drug Univerm. The site distribution of the strongylid species was analysed according to dynamics of their expulsion in faeces. Forty-four horses of different ages from Poltavska oblast (22 horses), Kyivska oblast (17 horses) and Sumska oblast (5 horses) of Ukraine were included in the study. Horses were treated with Univerm anthelmintic (0.2% aversectin) at a dose rate of 0.5mg aversectin preparation per kg body weight. Faecal sampling (200 g each) was performed at 24, 36, 48 and 60 h post treatment, and all nematodes expelled were collected and identified. The largest numbers of strongylids were expelled at 24--36 h after treatment. Twenty-five nematode species from the subfamilies Strongylinae and Cyathostominae were identified. The number of strongylid species found per horse ranged from 7 to 20, on an average 11+/-3.6 (S.D.). The number of cyathostomin species found per horse ranged from 7 to 16, on an average 10+/-2.3 (S.D.). Cylicocyclus nassatus and Cyathostomum catinatum were the most dominant species were found in 100% of horses, amounting to 36.3% and 17.6% of the total number of strongylids collected, respectively. C. longibursatus, C. ashworthi, Cylicostephanus calicatus, C. leptostomus and C. minutus were identified in more than 80% horses and represented 39.9% of the total number of strongylids collected. The dynamics of the different strongylid species expelled was irregular. Correlation between the time of cyathostomin species expulsion in faeces and their predicted localisation inside the horse intestine was found. Species mainly localised in the caecum were found in faeces later than those species localised in the dorsal and ventral colons. Larvae and adult Parascaris equorum, Oxyuris equi and botfly larvae from the genus Gasterophilus were also found in horse faeces. This investigation shows that is possible to study the horse strongylid community after deworming with aid of an aversectin drug. The results obtained here correspond to those recorded in previous autopsy surveys in other countries.
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article investigates the species composition of intestinal worm communities in horses in Ukraine post-treatment with the deworming drug, Univerm. The expelled worm species were collected and identified to analyze the drug’s effectiveness and the dominance of particular worm species.
Study Rationale and Methodology
The study focuses on analyzing the post-treatment communities of a type of parasitic worm known as strongylid nematodes, inhabiting horses in Ukraine. Worm communities in horses are traditionally studied post-mortem, but this research collects the expelled worms from horse faeces after the horses are treated with a deworming drug.
The horses involved in the study were from different regions of Ukraine, and the distribution of worm species was analyzed according to the timing of their expulsion in faeces.
Each horse was treated with the drug Univerm, an anthelmintic drug designed to expel worms from the body. Faecal samples were collected post-treatment, and the expelled worms were collected and identified.
Key Research Findings
The highest number of strongylids were expelled within 24 to 36 hours of treatment, indicating the effectiveness of the drug.
The researchers identified twenty-five nematodes species from the subfamilies Strongylinae and Cyathostominae in the samples. Each horse had an average of around 11 different strongylid species.
Cylicocyclus nassatus and Cyathostomum catinatum were the dominant species, found in all the horses and constituting a significant part of the total strongylid population collected.
The dynamics of expulsion of the different strongylid species was irregular and did not follow a particular pattern. However, a correlation was identified between the time of cyathostomin species’ expulsion and their localization inside the horse’s intestine. Species primarily located in the caecum – a sac located at the beginning of the large intestine – were found in faeces later than those located in the dorsal and ventral colons.
Final Remarks and Implications
This study shows it’s feasible to analyze horse worm communities post-deworming with the help of an aversectin drug without resorting to post-mortem analysis.
The results align with previous autopsy surveys conducted in other countries, confirming the consistency of the identified worm species and their response to the deworming drug. This consistency could allow for more standardized global deworming strategies and treatment plans.
Cite This Article
APA
Kuzmina TA, Kharchenko VA, Starovir AI, Dvojnos GM.
(2005).
Analysis of the strongylid nematodes (Nematoda: Strongylidae) community after deworming of brood horses in Ukraine.
Vet Parasitol, 131(3-4), 283-290.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.05.010
Department of Parasitology, Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology NAS of Ukraine, vul. B. Khmelnitskogo 15, Kyiv 01601, Ukraine.
Kharchenko, V A
Starovir, A I
Dvojnos, G M
MeSH Terms
Animals
Anthelmintics / therapeutic use
Feces / parasitology
Female
Gastrointestinal Diseases / drug therapy
Gastrointestinal Diseases / parasitology
Gastrointestinal Diseases / veterinary
Horse Diseases / drug therapy
Horse Diseases / parasitology
Horses
Ivermectin / analogs & derivatives
Ivermectin / therapeutic use
Parasite Egg Count / veterinary
Strongylida / classification
Strongylida / growth & development
Strongylida / metabolism
Strongylida Infections / drug therapy
Strongylida Infections / parasitology
Strongylida Infections / veterinary
Time Factors
Ukraine
Citations
This article has been cited 21 times.
Courtot É, Boisseau M, Dhorne-Pollet S, Serreau D, Gesbert A, Reigner F, Basiaga M, Kuzmina T, Lluch J, Annonay G, Kuchly C, Diekmann I, Krücken J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Mach N, Sallé G. Comparison of two molecular barcodes for the study of equine strongylid communities with amplicon sequencing. PeerJ 2023;11:e15124.
Louro M, Kuzmina TA, Bredtmann CM, Diekmann I, de Carvalho LMM, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Krücken J. Genetic variability, cryptic species and phylogenetic relationship of six cyathostomin species based on mitochondrial and nuclear sequences. Sci Rep 2021 Apr 15;11(1):8245.
Traversa D, Iorio R, Klei TR, Kharchenko VA, Gawor J, Otranto D, Sparagano OA. New method for simultaneous species-specific identification of equine strongyles (nematoda, strongylida) by reverse line blot hybridization. J Clin Microbiol 2007 Sep;45(9):2937-42.