Occurrence of roundworm (Parascaris equorum) in horses from small farms based on necropsy.

The research study aimed to investigate the prevalence and intensity of roundworm infection in working horses that had not been treated with anti-parasite drugs, known as anthelmintics. It found that 12% of these horses were infected with an average of around 47 roundworms each, with infection only observed in foals.

Methodology

• The study involved the collection of roundworms from the small intestines of 83 horses. These horses were working horses slaughtered for meat.
• Importantly, these horses had not been administered any drugs designed to control or kill parasitic worms, known as anthelmintics.
• The collection of the roundworms was performed post-mortem, i.e., after the death of the animals.

Results and Findings

• The study found that the average (mean) prevalence of roundworm infection in the studied horses was 12%.
• The intensity of the infection, referring to the number of roundworms per infected horse, was found to average at around 47 specimens per horse.
• The infection with roundworms was only observed in young horses, also known as foals. Specifically, 10 out of the 22 foals examined in the study were found to be infected, a prevalence of 45.4% within this group.

Implications and Recommendations

• Due to the common occurrence of roundworms (Parascaris equorum) found in foals, it’s suggested that efforts to control this parasitic nematode should be specifically focused on young horses.
• These efforts could entail the regular use of anthelmintics, designed to expel or kill the parasitic worms, as a form of treatment for the infected horses.
• Ensuring suitable hygienic conditions for these young horses could also be an important preventive measure against roundworm infection.
• The study also recommends checking the level of infection by coproscopical methods. These are laboratory techniques used to microscopically examine and identify parasites in fecal samples, and can provide valuable information about the infection rate of roundworms among horses.