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Parasites & vectors2016; 9(1); 478; doi: 10.1186/s13071-016-1757-1

Equine Cyathostominae can develop to infective third-stage larvae on straw bedding.

Abstract: Domesticated grazing animals including horses and donkeys are frequently housed using deep litter bedding systems, where it is commonly presumed that there is no risk of infection from the nematodes that are associated with grazing at pasture. We use two different approaches to test whether equids could become infected with cyathostomines from the ingestion of deep litter straw bedding. Two herbage plot studies were performed in horticultural incubators set up to simulate three straw bedding scenarios and one grass turf positive control. Faeces were placed on 16 plots, and larval recoveries performed on samples of straw/grass substrate over 2- to 3-week periods. Within each incubator, a thermostat was set to maintain an environmental temperature of approximately 10 °C to 20 °C. To provide further validation, 24 samples of straw bedding were collected over an 8-week period from six barns in which a large number of donkeys were housed in a deep litter straw bedding system. These samples were collected from the superficial bedding at 16 sites along a "W" route through each barn. No infective larvae were recovered from any of the plots containing dry straw. However, infective cyathostomine larvae were first detected on day 8 from plots containing moist straw. In the straw bedding study, cyathostomine larvae were detected in 18 of the 24 samples. Additionally, in the two barns which were sampled serially, the level of larval infectivity generally increased from week to week, except when the straw bedding was removed and replaced. We have demonstrated that equine cyathostomines can develop to infective larvae on moist straw bedding. It is therefore possible for a horse or donkey bedded in deep litter straw to become infected by ingesting the contaminated straw. This has implications for parasite control in stabled equids and potentially in housed ruminants, and further investigation is required in order to establish the relative infective pressure from pasture versus straw bedding.
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Publication Date: 2016-08-31 PubMed ID: 27581072PubMed Central: PMC5006614DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1757-1Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

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.

This research explores the potential for horses and donkeys to become infected with equine Cyathostominae, a type of nematode, from deep litter straw bedding. The study reveals that these nematodes can develop into infecting larvae on moist straw bedding, overturning the common presumption that there is no infection risk from nematodes in such housing conditions.

Research Methods and Approach

  • The study used two different methods to assess whether equids could become infected with cyathostomines through ingestion of straw bedding.
  • The first involved two herbage plot studies done in horticultural incubators. These were used to replicate three distinct straw bedding scenarios, along with a grass turf positive control.
  • Faeces were placed on 16 plots and samples taken from the straw/grass substrate over 2-3 week periods for larvae recovery.
  • Each incubator was maintained at an environmental temperature of around 10°C to 20°C.
  • In the second method, 24 samples of straw bedding were gathered over eight weeks from six barns housing a large number of donkeys in a deep litter straw bedding system.
  • These samples were collected from the topmost layer of bedding following a “W” path through each barn.

Results

  • No infective larvae were found on any of the plots that contained dry straw. However, cyathostomine larvae started to appear on day 8 in plots that contained moist straw.
  • In the straw bedding study, cyathostomine larvae were detected in 18 out of the 24 samples.
  • In the two barns that were sampled repeatedly, the quantity of larval infectivity generally increased from week to week, except when the straw bedding was replaced.

Implications

  • The findings of the research demonstrated that equine cyathostomines can mature into infective larvae on moist straw bedding.
  • As a result, it’s possible for a horse or donkey living in deep litter straw bedding to become infected by consuming the contaminated straw.
  • This discovery has implications for parasite control in stabled equids and potentially in housed ruminants.
  • Further research is needed to understand the relative infective pressure from pastures as compared to straw bedding.

Cite This Article

APA
Love S, Burden FA, McGirr EC, Gordon L, Denwood MJ. (2016). Equine Cyathostominae can develop to infective third-stage larvae on straw bedding. Parasit Vectors, 9(1), 478. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-016-1757-1

Publication

Parasites & vectors
ISSN: 1756-3305
NlmUniqueID: 101462774
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Pages: 478
PII: 478

Researcher Affiliations

Love, Sandy
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK. Sandy.Love@Glasgow.ac.uk.
Burden, Faith A
  • The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 0NU, UK.
McGirr, Eoghan C
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
Gordon, Louise
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
Denwood, Matthew J
  • Department of Large Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 8, 1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Equidae
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Floors and Floorcoverings
  • Housing, Animal
  • Larva / growth & development
  • Plant Stems
  • Poaceae
  • Strongylida Infections / parasitology
  • Strongylida Infections / veterinary
  • Strongyloidea / growth & development
  • Temperature
  • Water

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Zanet S, Battisti E, Labate F, Oberto F, Ferroglio E. Reduced Efficacy of Fenbendazole and Pyrantel Pamoate Treatments against Intestinal Nematodes of Stud and Performance Horses. Vet Sci 2021 Mar 5;8(3).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci8030042pubmed: 33807857google scholar: lookup
  2. Nasreldin N, Zaki RS. Biochemical and immunological investigation of fascioliasis in cattle in Egypt. Vet World 2020 May;13(5):923-930.
    doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2020.923-930pubmed: 32636589google scholar: lookup
  3. Takeuchi-Storm N, Denwood M, Hansen TVA, Halasa T, Rattenborg E, Boes J, Enemark HL, Thamsborg SM. Farm-level risk factors for Fasciola hepatica infection in Danish dairy cattle as evaluated by two diagnostic methods. Parasit Vectors 2017 Nov 9;10(1):555.
    doi: 10.1186/s13071-017-2504-ypubmed: 29121986google scholar: lookup
  4. Masebo NT, Benedetti B, Mountricha M, Lee L, Padalino B. A Literature Review on Equine Bedding: Impacts on Horse and Human Welfare, Health, and the Environment. Animals (Basel) 2025 Mar 5;15(5).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15050751pubmed: 40076033google scholar: lookup
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