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Home / Equine Research Bank / J S Afr Vet Assoc / Helminths in horses: use of selective treatment for the cont...
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association2005; 75(3); 129-136; doi: 10.4102/jsava.v75i3.468

Helminths in horses: use of selective treatment for the control of strongyles.

Abstract: The current level of anthelmintic resistance in the horse-breeding industry is extremely high and therefore more emphasis is being placed on studies that focus on the judicious use of anthelmintic products. The aims of the study were to: 1) establish if there is variation in the egg excretion pattern of strongyles between the different age classes of Thoroughbred horses in the Western Cape Province (WCP), 2) test if a selective treatment approach successfully reduces the number of anthelmintic treatments and maintains acceptably low helminth burdens in adult Thoroughbred horses, and 3) evaluate the efficacy of subsampling large horse herds for faecal egg counts (FECs) to monitor the strongyle burden. In 2001 the FECs of 4 adult mare, 5 yearling and 3 weanling herds from 8 different farms were compared in the WCP Within the mare herds there were generally fewer egg-excreting individuals with lower mean FECs compared with the younger age classes. Individual faecal samples were collected every 3-4 weeks from 52 adult Thoroughbred mares from 1 farm in the WCP during a 12-month period (2002/2003). Animals with strongyle FECs > or =100 eggs per gram (epg ) were treated with an ivermectin-praziquantel combination drug (Equimax oral paste, Virbac). The mean monthly strongyle FEC for the entire group was <300 epg throughout the study and the number of treatments was reduced by 50 %. Resampling methods showed that an asymptote to mean FEC was reached at 55 animals for each of the pooled weanling, yearling and mare egg counts. Resampling within 4 different mare herds recorded asymptotes of between 24 and 28 animals. Subsampling entire herds for FECs therefore provided an effective approach to treatment management. This study demonstrates that selective treatment is both a practical and an effective approach to the management of anthelmintic resistance.
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Publication Date: 2005-01-05 PubMed ID: 15628805DOI: 10.4102/jsava.v75i3.468Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
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  • 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.

The research article examines the effectiveness of selective treatment for controlling strongyles in horses, with an emphasis on reducing the use of anthelmintics. The findings suggest that this approach can help manage anthelmintic resistance, minimizing helminth burdens while lessening the frequency of treatments.

Research Objectives and Approach

The study focused on several key objectives:

  • To ascertain whether the pattern of egg excretion from strongyles varied across different age groups of Thoroughbred horses in the Western Cape Province (WCP).
  • To determine if selective treatment can lessen the need for anthelmintic treatments while maintaining minimal helminth burdens in adult Thoroughbred horses.
  • To assess the efficacy of subsampling large horse herds for faecal egg counts (FECs) in monitoring strongyle burdens.

To achieve these goals, faecal samples were collected and analysed from different horse groups in the WCP in 2001, including adult mares, yearlings and weanlings from various farms. In 2002/2003, faecal samples were taken every 3-4 weeks from 52 adult Thoroughbred mares from one particular farm in WCP.

Findings and Implications

The study observed that:

  • There were generally fewer egg-excreting individuals with lower average FECs amongst the mare herds compared to the younger age groups.
  • Horses with strongyle FEC > or =100 eggs per gram (epg) were treated with a combination of ivermectin-praziquantel (Equimax oral paste, Virbac). This resulted in the mean monthly strongyle FEC for the entire group remaining <300 epg throughout the study, while the number of treatments was slashed by 50%.
  • Resampling methods revealed that an asymptote to mean FEC was reached at 55 animals for each of the pooled weanling, yearling and mare egg counts. Furthermore, resampling within four different mare herds recorded asymptotes of between 24 and 28 animals.

These findings suggest that subsampling large horse herds for FECs is an effective approach for treatment management.

In conclusion, the study provides evidence that selective treatment is both practical and effectual in the management of anthelmintic resistance. This could have significant implications for the horse-breeding industry where high levels of anthelmintic resistance is a current problem.

Cite This Article

APA
Matthee S, McGeoch MA. (2005). Helminths in horses: use of selective treatment for the control of strongyles. J S Afr Vet Assoc, 75(3), 129-136. https://doi.org/10.4102/jsava.v75i3.468

Publication

Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
ISSN: 1019-9128
NlmUniqueID: 7503122
Country: South Africa
Language: English
Volume: 75
Issue: 3
Pages: 129-136

Researcher Affiliations

Matthee, S
  • Department of Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602, South Africa. smatthee@sun.ac.za
McGeoch, M A

    MeSH Terms

    • Age Factors
    • Animals
    • Anthelmintics / pharmacology
    • Anthelmintics / therapeutic use
    • Drug Resistance
    • Drug Therapy, Combination
    • Feces / parasitology
    • Female
    • Horses
    • Ivermectin / pharmacology
    • Ivermectin / therapeutic use
    • Male
    • Parasite Egg Count / veterinary
    • Parasitic Sensitivity Tests / veterinary
    • Praziquantel / pharmacology
    • Praziquantel / therapeutic use
    • South Africa
    • Strongyle Infections, Equine / drug therapy
    • Strongylus / drug effects
    • Treatment Outcome

    Citations

    This article has been cited 11 times.
    1. Hedberg Alm Y, Tydén E, Martin F, Lernå J, Halvarsson P. Farm size and biosecurity measures associated with Strongylus vulgaris infection in horses. Equine Vet J 2025 May;57(3):703-711.
      doi: 10.1111/evj.14212pubmed: 39171858google scholar: lookup
    2. Elghryani N, McOwan T, Mincher C, Duggan V, de Waal T. Estimating the Prevalence and Factors Affecting the Shedding of Helminth Eggs in Irish Equine Populations. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 7;13(4).
      doi: 10.3390/ani13040581pubmed: 36830368google scholar: lookup
    3. Živković S, Pavlović I, Mijatović B, Trailović I, Trailović D. Prevalence, Intensity and Risks Involved in Helminth Infections in Domestic Mountain Pony and Balkan Donkey in Nature Park Stara Planina, Serbia. Iran J Parasitol 2021 Apr-Jun;16(2):318-326.
      doi: 10.18502/ijpa.v16i2.6283pubmed: 34557248google scholar: lookup
    4. Corbett CJ, Love S, Moore A, Burden FA, Matthews JB, Denwood MJ. The effectiveness of faecal removal methods of pasture management to control the cyathostomin burden of donkeys. Parasit Vectors 2014 Jan 24;7:48.
      doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-48pubmed: 24460700google scholar: lookup
    5. Kuzmina TA, Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Dzeverin II, Kharchenko VA. Fecundity of various species of strongylids (Nematoda: Strongylidae)--parasites of domestic horses. Parasitol Res 2012 Dec;111(6):2265-71.
      doi: 10.1007/s00436-012-3077-5pubmed: 22903448google scholar: lookup
    6. Hinney B, Wirtherle NC, Kyule M, Miethe N, Zessin KH, Clausen PH. A questionnaire survey on helminth control on horse farms in Brandenburg, Germany and the assessment of risks caused by different kinds of management. Parasitol Res 2011 Dec;109(6):1625-35.
      doi: 10.1007/s00436-011-2434-0pubmed: 21559764google scholar: lookup
    7. Hinney B, Wirtherle NC, Kyule M, Miethe N, Zessin KH, Clausen PH. Prevalence of helminths in horses in the state of Brandenburg, Germany. Parasitol Res 2011 May;108(5):1083-91.
      doi: 10.1007/s00436-011-2362-zpubmed: 21472400google scholar: lookup
    8. Becher AM, Pfister K. [The efficacy of anthelmintic drugs against horse strongyles in the area of Salzburg and preliminary results of selective anthelmintic treatment]. Wien Klin Wochenschr 2010 Oct;122 Suppl 3:71-5.
      doi: 10.1007/s00508-010-1441-ypubmed: 20924696google scholar: lookup
    9. Nielsen MK. Restrictions of anthelmintic usage: perspectives and potential consequences. Parasit Vectors 2009 Sep 25;2 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S7.
      doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-2-S2-S7pubmed: 19778468google scholar: lookup
    10. Bonneau S, Maynard L, Tomczuk K, Kok D, Eun HM. Anthelmintic efficacies of a tablet formula of ivermectin-praziquantel on horses experimentally infected with three Strongylus species. Parasitol Res 2009 Sep;105(3):817-23.
      doi: 10.1007/s00436-009-1460-7pubmed: 19488785google scholar: lookup
    11. Elsener J, Villeneuve A. Comparative long-term efficacy of ivermectin and moxidectin over winter in Canadian horses treated at removal from pastures for winter housing. Can Vet J 2009 May;50(5):486-90.
      pubmed: 19436633
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