Factors affecting prevalence and abundance of A.perfoliata infections in horses from south-eastern Poland.
Abstract: Equine Anoplocephalosis constitute a significant problem in horses worldwide. The aim of this study was to analyse intrinsic (host age and sex) and extrinsic (management type, pasture type and moisture) factors that influence the prevalence and FEC of A. perfoliata infections. Faecal samples were collected from 994 horses managed in studs or individually between 2012 and 2014. The Sedimentation-flotation method was applied for coproscopic analysis, and faecal egg counts were calculated. The overall prevalence was 25.1% (21.4-29.0) with the highest prevalence (36.1% [28.1-44.8]) found in horses 10-20 years old. The individuals kept in studs showed three times higher A. perfoliata prevalence compared to the ones managed individually. The prevalence significantly differed between pasture types, with individuals kept in studs (37.6% [34.3-40.9]) showing four times higher prevalence than horses kept individually (9.2% [4.8-16.5]). More horses kept on watery (42.0% [36.6-47.6]) and semi-watery (35.9% [31.3-40.7]) pastures were infected than those on dry (6.6% [4.6-9.2]) pastures. The overall A. perfoliata FEC in all examined individual was 2.67 and differed within sex, with mares showing 4.3 - times higher FEC of infection than stallions. Horses bred in studs (3.65±0.289) showed higher FEC than these bred individually (1.28±0.198). There was the effect of pasture type on A. perfoliata FEC, with horses kept on joint pastures (4.06±0.29) showing higher FEC than individuals kept individually (0.88±0.23). Pasture moisture significantly affected A. perfoliata FEC with the highest FECs in horses from watery pastures. Horses bred on dry pastures showed 16 times lower FEC than horses bred on watery pastures. Host age also significantly affected A. perfoliata FEC, with the oldest individuals showing the highest mean FEC. The presented analysis of intrinsic and extrinsic factors may help to overcome A. perfoliata infections in horses in different breeding systems. Understanding the role of management and pasture type risk factors that influence this parasitosis may benefit both breeders and veterinary surgeons.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2017-09-01 PubMed ID: 28969775DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.08.027Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research study investigates the factors affecting the prevalence and intensity of an Anoplocephala perfoliata infection in horses located in south-eastern Poland.
Study Design and Methods
- The study collected faecal samples from 994 horses managed either in studs or individually over a two-year period between 2012 and 2014.
- They used a procedure called the Sedimentation-flotation method to carry out a coproscopic analysis which helps identify the presence of parasites in the stool samples.
- The study calculated the faecal egg counts (FEC) to assess the intensity of the infection in the horses.
Findings
- The overall prevalence of A. perfoliata infection was found to be 25.1%, with the highest prevalence observed in horses aged 10-20 years.
- Horses kept in groups, or studs, showed a three times higher prevalence compared to those managed individually.
- The prevalence of A. perfoliata infection significantly varied depending on the type of pasture where the horses were kept. Individuals kept in studs on watery and semi-watery pastures showed much higher prevalence rates compared to horses kept individually on dry pastures.
- Mares had a 4.3 times higher FEC of infection than stallions, indicating that sex of the horse was also a factor in the intensity of A. perfoliata infection.
- A higher FEC was observed in horses bred in studs compared to those bred individually.
- Pasture moisture significantly affected A. perfoliata FEC, with the highest counts observed in horses from watery pastures. Conversely, horses bred on dry pastures had 16 times lower FEC than horses bred on wet pastures.
- Older horses displayed higher mean FEC values, suggesting that age significantly affects the intensity of A. perfoliata infection.
Implications
- The study suggests that understanding the various factors that influence A. perfoliata infections in horses could help control and treat such infections more effectively in diverse breeding systems.
- The findings may be particularly valuable to both breeders and veterinary surgeons, from a prevention and treatment perspective.
Cite This Article
APA
Tomczuk K, Grzybek M, Szczepaniak K, Studzińska M, Demkowska-Kutrzepa M, Roczeń-Karczmarz M, Abbass ZA, Kostro K, Junkuszew A.
(2017).
Factors affecting prevalence and abundance of A.perfoliata infections in horses from south-eastern Poland.
Vet Parasitol, 246, 19-24.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.08.027 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin,12 Akademicka Street, 20-950, Lublin Poland. Electronic address: krzysztof.tomczuk@up.lublin.pl.
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin,12 Akademicka Street, 20-950, Lublin Poland. Electronic address: grzybek.genetics@gmail.com.
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin,12 Akademicka Street, 20-950, Lublin Poland. Electronic address: k.o.szczepaniak@gmail.com.
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin,12 Akademicka Street, 20-950, Lublin Poland. Electronic address: maria.studzinska@up.lublin.pl.
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin,12 Akademicka Street, 20-950, Lublin Poland. Electronic address: marta.demkowska@up.lublin.pl.
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin,12 Akademicka Street, 20-950, Lublin Poland. Electronic address: monika.roczen-karczmarz@up.lublin.pl.
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin,12 Akademicka Street, 20-950, Lublin Poland. Electronic address: zahraaabbas66@gmail.com.
- Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Life Sciences,30 Głęboka street, 20-612 Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: k.kostro@wp.pl.
- Department of Small Ruminants Breeding and Agriculture Advisor, University of Life Sciences in Lublin,13 Akademicka street, 20-950 Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: andrzej.junkuszew@up.lublin.pl.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cestoda / classification
- Cestode Infections / epidemiology
- Cestode Infections / parasitology
- Cestode Infections / veterinary
- Feces / parasitology
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Poland / epidemiology
- Prevalence
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Jászayová A, Režnarová J, Chovancová G, Kostygov AY, Yurchenko V, Antolová D, Zwijacz-Kozica T, Csanády A, Hurníková Z. A Study of Oribatid Mites as Potential Intermediate Hosts of Anoplocephalid Tapeworms of Tatra chamois and Tatra marmots from the Tatra Mountains, Central Europe, and Report of a New Intermediate Host for Andrya cuniculi, the Parasite of Leporidae.. Life (Basel) 2023 Apr 6;13(4).
- Wititkornkul B, Hulme BJ, Tomes JJ, Allen NR, Davis CN, Davey SD, Cookson AR, Phillips HC, Hegarty MJ, Swain MT, Brophy PM, Wonfor RE, Morphew RM. Evidence of Immune Modulators in the Secretome of the Equine Tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata.. Pathogens 2021 Jul 20;10(7).
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