Estimation of genetic parameters for resistance to gastro-intestinal nematodes in pure blood Arabian horses.
Abstract: Equine internal parasites, mostly cyathostomins, affect both horse welfare and performance. The appearance of anthelmintic-resistant parasites creates a pressing need for optimising drenching schemes. This optimization may be achieved by identifying genetic markers associated with host susceptibility to infection and then to drench carriers of these markers. The aim of our study was to characterise the genetics of horse resistance to strongyle infection by estimating heritability of this trait in an Arabian pure blood population. A population of 789 Arabian pure blood horses from the Michałów stud farm, Poland were measured for strongyle egg excretion twice a year, over 8 years. Low repeatability values were found for faecal egg counts. Our analyses showed that less than 10% of the observed variation for strongyle faecal egg counts in this population had a genetic origin. However, additional analyses highlighted an age-dependent increase in heritability which was 0.04 (±0.02) in young horses (up to 3 years of age) but 0.21 (±0.04) in older ones. These results suggest that a significant part of the inter-individual variation has a genetic origin. This paves the way to a genomic dissection of horse-nematode interactions which might provide predictive markers of susceptibility, allowing individualised drenching schemes.
Copyright © 2015 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2015-01-12 PubMed ID: 25592965DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2014.11.003Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The article explores the genetic influence on the resistance to gastrointestinal parasites in Arabian pure blood horses. The researchers conducted a biological examination of these horses to understand if their genetic makeup contributes to their susceptibility to parasitic infections.
Research Objectives
- The main purpose of the research was to understand the genetic aspects of horse resistance to gastrointestinal nematodes, specifically strongyle.
- The researchers intended to estimate the genetic inheritance of resistance to strongyle infections in Arabian pure blood horses.
Methodology
- The study was conducted on a population of 789 Arabian pure blood horses from a stud farm in Poland.
- Each of these horses was tested for strongyle eggs in their excretion. These examinations were conducted twice a year, over an eight-year period.
- The researchers then studied the variations in faecal egg counts among these horses and explored its possible genetic basis.
Results and Findings
- Repeatability values for fecal egg count were low, indicating variations were not generally consistent between tests.
- Analysis of the data revealed that less than 10% of the observed variation in strongyle egg counts had a genetic origin.
- Further analysis revealed an age-dependent increase in genetic heritability. Heritability was low (0.04±0.02) in young horses (up to 3 years of age) but increased significantly (0.21±0.04) in older horses.
- This suggests that a significant portion of the variation in strongyle egg count among individuals in the Arabian horse population can be attributed to genetic factors.
Consequences and Implications
- The findings of this research reveal a potential path towards understanding the genetic basis of horse-nematode interactions.
- Predictive markers of susceptibility could be identified, leading to the development of more efficient and individualised drenching schemes (treatment plans for managing parasite loads).
- This has significant implications for equine health management, particularly given the increasing issue of anthelmintic-resistant parasites.
Cite This Article
APA
Kornaś S, Sallé G, Skalska M, David I, Ricard A, Cabaret J.
(2015).
Estimation of genetic parameters for resistance to gastro-intestinal nematodes in pure blood Arabian horses.
Int J Parasitol, 45(4), 237-242.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2014.11.003 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Zoology and Ecology, University of Agriculture of Krakow, 30-059 Krakow, Poland.
- INRA, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, F-37380 Nouzilly, France; Université François Rabelais de Tours, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, F-37000 Tours, France. Electronic address: Guillaume.Salle@tours.inra.fr.
- Department of Zoology and Ecology, University of Agriculture of Krakow, 30-059 Krakow, Poland.
- INRA, UMR1388 Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'élevage, F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France.
- INRA, UMR1313 Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France.
- INRA, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, F-37380 Nouzilly, France; Université François Rabelais de Tours, UMR1282 Infectiologie et Santé Publique, F-37000 Tours, France.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Disease Resistance
- Feces / parasitology
- Female
- Horses
- Male
- Parasite Egg Count
- Poland
- Quantitative Trait, Heritable
- Strongyle Infections, Equine / genetics
- Strongyle Infections, Equine / immunology
- Strongyle Infections, Equine / parasitology
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Boisseau M, Mach N, Basiaga M, Kuzmina T, Laugier C, Sallé G. Patterns of variation in equine strongyle community structure across age groups and gut compartments.. Parasit Vectors 2023 Feb 11;16(1):64.
- Sallé G, Canlet C, Cortet J, Koch C, Malsa J, Reigner F, Riou M, Perrot N, Blanchard A, Mach N. Integrative biology defines novel biomarkers of resistance to strongylid infection in horses.. Sci Rep 2021 Jul 12;11(1):14278.
- Scala A, Tamponi C, Sanna G, Predieri G, Dessì G, Sedda G, Buono F, Cappai MG, Veneziano V, Varcasia A. Gastrointestinal Strongyles Egg Excretion in Relation to Age, Gender, and Management of Horses in Italy.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Dec 3;10(12).
- Cain JL, Foulk D, Jedrzejewski E, Stofanak H, Nielsen MK. The importance of anthelmintic efficacy monitoring: results of an outreach effort.. Parasitol Res 2019 Oct;118(10):2877-2883.
- Gold S, Regan CE, McLoughlin PD, Gilleard JS, Wilson AJ, Poissant J. Quantitative genetics of gastrointestinal strongyle burden and associated body condition in feral horses.. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2019 Aug;9:104-111.
- 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.
- Sallé G, Kornaś S, Basiaga M. Equine strongyle communities are constrained by horse sex and species dipersal-fecundity trade-off.. Parasit Vectors 2018 May 2;11(1):279.
- Clark A, Sallé G, Ballan V, Reigner F, Meynadier A, Cortet J, Koch C, Riou M, Blanchard A, Mach N. Strongyle Infection and Gut Microbiota: Profiling of Resistant and Susceptible Horses Over a Grazing Season.. Front Physiol 2018;9:272.
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