Nonstrangulating intestinal infarction associated with Strongylus vulgaris in referred Danish equine cases.

The research investigates the impact of the pathogenic helminth parasite, Strongylus vulgaris, in causing different types of colic in horses, particularly nonstrangulating intestinal infarction. It found that the occurrence of nonstrangulating intestinal infarctions was significantly associated with the presence of S. vulgaris antibodies.

Study Methodology

• The research was a retrospective case-control study conducted on horses referred with abdominal pain to the University of Copenhagen Large Animal Teaching Hospital from 2009 to 2011.
• Each colic case was matched with another horse, or equid, accounting for variables such as type, age, sex, and admission date, who was facing problems unrelated to the gastrointestinal tract.
• Serum samples from these horses were analyzed for antibodies against the migrating S. vulgaris larvae using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Types of Colic Analysed

• The study categorized the colic cases into four categories: colic sensu lato, which included all cases presenting with colic (274 cases); horses with undiagnosed colic (48 cases); horses with strangulating obstructions (76 cases); and horses with nonstrangulating infarctions (20 cases).

Study Findings

• S. vulgaris antibody levels were found to be similar to control values in cases of colic sensu lato and in horses with undiagnosed colic.
• Notably, there was a significant association between nonstrangulating intestinal infarctions and positive S. vulgaris ELISA results. The odds ratio for this association was calculated as 5.33, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 1.03 to 27.76.
• In comparison to horses with strangulating obstructions, horses with nonstrangulating infarctions had significantly higher occurrences of positive ELISA results. The odds ratio for this comparison was 3.79.

Conclusions

• The higher association of S. vulgaris antibodies with nonstrangulating intestinal infarction suggests that the presence of these antibodies could potentially be used as an indicator for this specific type of colic.
• While other broadly defined colic categories did not show an association with positive ELISA results.
• Therefore, the study suggests that the ELISA could potentially be used as a tool for diagnosing and managing horses with colic, particularly those at risk for nonstrangulating intestinal infarctions.