Filarioid nematodes in cattle, sheep and horses in Finland.
Abstract: In autumn 2006, Finnish meat inspection data revealed lesions in tendons, muscles and ligaments of bovine hind legs leading to partial condemnation of carcasses. In gross pathological examination at Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Oulu (now Fish and Wildlife Health) Research Unit, Onchocerca sp. (Filarioidea; Onchocercidae) nematodes were detected in lesions. Due to this, a pilot study was made in order to find out what filarioid nematodes do occur in cattle, horses and sheep in Finland. Methods: Ventral skin biopsies from 209 dairy cattle and 42 horses, as well as blood samples from 209 cattle, 146 horses and 193 sheep, were collected from different parts of Finland and examined for microfilariae. Visceral organs and other tissues from 33 cattle with parasitic lesions were studied histopathologically. Results: Onchocerca sp. microfilariae (mf), 240 mum long, range 225-260 mum, 5.4 mum thick, were found in 37% of the skin biopsies of cattle. All blood samples from cattle, horses and sheep and skin biopsies from horses were negative for mf. Ventral skin microfilaria prevalence in cattle was higher in southern Finland than in the North (p = 0.001). Animal age and sampling time was not associated with mf prevalence. The infection was evenly distributed among young and older animals. Macroscopic lesions on tissues included greenish-grey discolouration and often oedema. In most of the lesions, small pale nodules were seen on the fasciae. Histopathologic examination of the samples revealed mild to intense infiltration with eosinophilic granulocytes and multifocal nodular lymphoplasmacytic aggregations were seen. In some samples, there were granulomatotic lesions with central necrotic tissue and cell detritus, surrounded by eosinophilic granulocytes, lympho-, plasma- and histiocytes and some multinucleated giant cells. Around living nematodes no or only weak inflammatory changes were observed. Conclusions: Onchocerca sp. infection in cattle was found to be common in Finland, but the amount of pathological changes leading to condemnation of infected parts is low compared to the mf prevalence. Pronounced pathological changes are distinct but rare and mild changes are difficult to distinguish. No other filarioid nematodes were observed from the animals and it appears that horses and sheep may be free from filarioid nematodes in Finland.
Publication Date: 2008-06-16 PubMed ID: 18558003PubMed Central: PMC2464592DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-50-20Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research article examines the presence and effects of filarioid nematodes, specifically Onchocerca sp., in cattle, horses, and sheep in Finland. It found that filarioid nematodes are common in Finnish cattle, resulting in lesions on the animals’ tendons, muscles, and ligaments, but they appear not to affect horses and sheep.
Research Objective and Method
- The research was launched in response to Finnish meat inspection data in 2006 that indicated lesions in the tendons, muscles, and ligaments of bovine hind legs. These lesions led to partial condemnation of the carcasses.
- Onchocerca sp. nematodes were found within these lesions, prompting a more in-depth study into the prevalence of these nematodes within cattle, sheep, and horses in Finland.
- The researchers collected skin biopsies from 209 dairy cattle and 42 horses, and blood samples from 209 cattle, 146 horses, and 193 sheep from different regions of Finland.
- Visceral organs and other tissues from 33 cattle displaying parasitic lesions were studied for pathological effects of the nematodes.
Results
- Onchocerca sp. microfilariae were found in 37% of cattle skin biopsies. These microfilariae were absent in all blood samples gathered from the cattle, horses, and sheep, as well as skin biopsies from horses.
- There was a higher prevalence of skin microfilariae in cattle in southern Finland as compared to the north, and animal age or sampling time did not appear to be correlated with microfilariae prevalence.
- Apart from the microfilariae, the cattle exhibited macroscopic lesions on their tissues, characterized by greenish-grey discolouration, often with accompanying edema. Histopathologic examination revealed infiltration by eosinophilic granulocytes and accumulation of lymphoplasmacytic cells.
- Around living nematodes, there were either no or only weak inflammatory changes observed.
Conclusions
- The study concludes that Onchocerca sp. infection is common among cattle in Finland, though the amount of pathological changes causing parts of the animals to be condemned is low relative to the prevalence of the microfilariae.
- While the changes that do occur can be severe, they are rare, and milder changes are difficult to distinguish.
- Finally, the research did not observe any other filarioid nematodes in the animals studied, concluding that horses and sheep in Finland may not be hosts to these parasites.
Cite This Article
APA
Solismaa M, Laaksonen S, Nylund M, Pitkänen E, Airakorpi R, Oksanen A.
(2008).
Filarioid nematodes in cattle, sheep and horses in Finland.
Acta Vet Scand, 50(1), 20.
https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-50-20 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Fish and Wildlife Health Research Unit, PO Box 517, 90101 Oulu, Finland. milla.solismaa@evira.fi
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases / epidemiology
- Cattle Diseases / parasitology
- Filariasis / epidemiology
- Filariasis / parasitology
- Filariasis / veterinary
- Filarioidea / isolation & purification
- Finland / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Microfilariae / classification
- Microfilariae / isolation & purification
- Onchocerca / isolation & purification
- Onchocerciasis / epidemiology
- Onchocerciasis / parasitology
- Onchocerciasis / veterinary
- Pilot Projects
- Prevalence
- Sheep
- Sheep Diseases / epidemiology
- Sheep Diseases / parasitology
- Skin / parasitology
References
This article includes 30 references
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Hund A, Reithofer J, Barogh BS, Unterköfler MS, Harl J, Fuehrer HP. Emergence of Parafilaria bovicola in Austria.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Oct 14;11(10).
- Basso W, Alvarez Rojas CA, Buob D, Ruetten M, Deplazes P. Sarcocystis infection in red deer (Cervus elaphus) with eosinophilic myositis/fasciitis in Switzerland and involvement of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and hunting dogs in the transmission.. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2020 Dec;13:130-141.
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