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Dynamics of Parascaris and Strongylus spp. parasites in untreated juvenile horses.
Abstract: Parasite control in foals is of utmost importance due to the high susceptibility to parasitic infection and disease in this age group. Foals are commonly co-infected with strongyle and ascarid parasites, which complicate parasite control strategies. The present study retrospectively investigated necropsy records of foals born into a university herd kept without anthelmintic treatment since 1979. The aims were to statistically analyze the relationship between fecal egg counts, worm burdens, foal age, sex, and season with specific focus on Parascaris and Strongylus spp. A total of 83 foals born between 1999 and 2015 were included. Foals were born between January and September within the given year and age at necropsy ranged between 27 and 563 days of age with a mean and median of 202 and 204 days, respectively. One set of multivariate mixed linear models was constructed analyzing strongyle and ascarid fecal egg counts as outcome variables, and another set of analyses investigated the following worm counts as outcome variables: Intestinal Parascaris spp. counts (immatures and adults), S. vulgaris (migrating and intestinal stages), S. edentatus (migrating and intestinal stages). Both ascarid and strongyle egg counts were influenced significantly by differences between study years (p<0.05). In addition, total ascarid egg counts were statistically influenced by age (p=0.020) exhibiting a peak at four months of age and fillies had significantly higher ascarid worm burdens (p=0.043). Foal age had significant influences on intestinal counts of immature Parascaris spp. (p=0.034) and adult S. edentatus counts (p=0.028). Larval counts of S. edentatus were significantly associated with birth month (p=0.023), whereas counts of migrating S. vulgaris larvae were not statistically associated with any of the investigated covariates. This study provides novel information on the dynamics of important parasites in naturally infected foals.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2016-11-07 PubMed ID: 27884444DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.11.002Google Scholar: Lookup 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.
- Journal Article
Summary
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This research study investigates the occurrence and patterns of parasitic infections in untreated horses. Specifically, it focuses on the parasites Parascaris and Strongylus spp in foals (juvenile horses), examining factors such as the foal’s age, sex, and season, as well as the relationship between fecal egg counts and worm burdens.
Study Methodology
The study utilized a retrospective design, looking at necropsy records of foals from a university herd never treated with anthelmintic, a kind of medicine used to destroy parasitic worms, since 1979. The spectrum of the study involved 83 foals born between 1999 and 2015. Factors examined include:
- The foals’ age and sex
- Strongyle and ascarid fecal egg counts
- Intestinal Parascaris spp. counts
- S. vulgaris (migrating and intestinal stages) and S. edentatus (migrating and intestinal stages) worm counts
Study Findings
The research unearthed several notable conclusions, among them:
- Both ascarid and strongyle egg counts vary significantly across different study years.
- Total ascarid egg counts are influenced by the foal’s age, peaking at approximately four months.
- Filly foals (young females) showed a significantly higher ascarid worm burden compared to male foals.
- The foal’s age significantly influences intestinal counts of immature Parascaris spp. and adult S. edentatus.
- Larval counts of S. edentatus showed a significant association with the foal’s birth month.
- The study found no statistically significant associations between the counts of migrating S. vulgaris larvae and any of the investigated factors.
In summary, this research paper contributes valuable data regarding the dynamics of parasitic infections in untreated foals. The influence of factors such as the foal’s age, sex, and season on worm burdens could prove beneficial for future parasite control strategies.
Cite This Article
APA
Fabiani JV, Lyons ET, Nielsen MK.
(2016).
Dynamics of Parascaris and Strongylus spp. parasites in untreated juvenile horses.
Vet Parasitol, 230, 62-66.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.11.002 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
- M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
- M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. Electronic address: martin.nielsen@uky.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Ascaridida Infections / parasitology
- Ascaridida Infections / prevention & control
- Ascaridida Infections / veterinary
- Ascaridoidea
- Feces / parasitology
- Female
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horses
- Host-Parasite Interactions
- Intestines / parasitology
- Male
- Parasite Egg Count
- Retrospective Studies
- Seasons
- Sex Factors
- Strongylida Infections / parasitology
- Strongylida Infections / prevention & control
- Strongylida Infections / veterinary
- Strongylus
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Stummer M, Frisch V, Glitz F, Hinney B, Spergser J, Krücken J, Diekmann I, Dimmel K, Riedel C, Cavalleri JV, Rümenapf T, Joachim A, Lyrakis M, Auer A. Presence of Equine and Bovine Coronaviruses, Endoparasites, and Bacteria in Fecal Samples of Horses with Colic. Pathogens 2023 Aug 15;12(8).
- Cain JL, Nielsen MK. The equine ascarids: resuscitating historic model organisms for modern purposes. Parasitol Res 2022 Oct;121(10):2775-2791.
- Boelow H, Krücken J, Thomas E, Mirams G, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Comparison of FECPAK(G2), a modified Mini-FLOTAC technique and combined sedimentation and flotation for the coproscopic examination of helminth eggs in horses. Parasit Vectors 2022 May 12;15(1):166.
- Steuer AE, Anderson HP, Shepherd T, Clark M, Scare JA, Gravatte HS, Nielsen MK. Parasite dynamics in untreated horses through one calendar year. Parasit Vectors 2022 Feb 8;15(1):50.
- Scala A, Tamponi C, Sanna G, Predieri G, Meloni L, Knoll S, Sedda G, Dessì G, Cappai MG, Varcasia A. Parascaris spp. eggs in horses of Italy: a large-scale epidemiological analysis of the egg excretion and conditioning factors. Parasit Vectors 2021 May 8;14(1):246.
- Studzińska MB, Sallé G, Roczeń-Karczmarz M, Szczepaniak K, Demkowska-Kutrzepa M, Tomczuk K. A survey of ivermectin resistance in Parascaris species infected foals in south-eastern Poland. Acta Vet Scand 2020 Jun 5;62(1):28.
- Harvey AM, Meggiolaro MN, Hall E, Watts ET, Ramp D, Šlapeta J. Wild horse populations in south-east Australia have a high prevalence of Strongylus vulgaris and may act as a reservoir of infection for domestic horses. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2019 Apr;8:156-163.
- Ahn S, Redman EM, Gavriliuc S, Bellaw J, Gilleard JS, McLoughlin PD, Poissant J. Mixed strongyle parasite infections vary across host age and space in a population of feral horses. Parasitology 2024 Oct;151(12):1299-1316.
- Ai S, Zhang Z, Wang J, Wang X, Liu C, Duan Z. Prevalence and molecular identification of gastrointestinal nematodes in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China. Vet Med Sci 2023 Nov;9(6):2693-2702.
- Buono F, Veneziano V, Veronesi F, Molento MB. Horse and donkey parasitology: differences and analogies for a correct diagnostic and management of major helminth infections. Parasitology 2023 Oct;150(12):1119-1138.
- Nielsen MK. Anthelmintic resistance in equine nematodes: Current status and emerging trends. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2022 Dec;20:76-88.
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